The win extends Tech’s winning streak to 13 straight and snaps the Golden Suns six-match losing streak in the GSC Tournament dating to 2002. Tech’s last win in the tournament prior to Friday’s victory came in the semifinals of the 2002 Tournament against Harding. In addition, the win avenges Tech’s five-set loss to the Lady Tigers in the first round of last year’s GSC Tournament.
“It feels great to come in here and win in the first round of the GSC Tournament,” Golden Suns Head Coach Kristy Bayer said following the match. “Now we have to focus on tomorrow and a tough match against North Alabama, who is a very strong team that we were able to watch earlier this afternoon play Christian Brothers.”
Tech (31-4 on the season) entered Friday’s match at the No. 1 seed out of the West Division after claiming its second West Division title in the last three years. In the win on Friday, the Golden Suns, who collected a three-set win earlier this season over UWA at the UAH/Country Inn & Suites Invitational, recorded 46 kills, hit .320 hitting percentage and committed just 14 attack errors. Tech also had 45 assists, 57 digs and four total blocks, while limiting UWA to 21 kills and an .074 hitting percentage.
Senior middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.), who was named the GSC West Division Player of the Year on Wednesday, led the way for Tech as she had 13 kills and finished with a .310 hitting percentage. It was Von Lienen’s 23rd double-digit kill match of the season. Along with Von Lienen, senior setter Kera Dukic (White Lake, Mich.), who was one of four Golden Suns named First-Team All-GSC West Division selections on Wednesday, recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 37 assists and 12 digs and added six kills on the day with a .545 hitting percentage, while senior right side hitter Ashlynn Hamrick (Jackson, Mich.), another First-Team All-GSC West Division honoree, had seven kills and a .455 hitting percentage and junior outside hitter Laura Farney (Morton, Ill.), the fourth and final First-Team All-GSC West Division selection, recorded eight kills and seven digs in the win.
Tech’s defense was paced by the play of freshman middle blocker Sara Motsinger (Normal, Ill.), who recorded a team-high four blocks, along with adding seven kill and a .600 hitting percentage and junior libero Brennae Benda (Woodstock, Ill.), who was named a Second-Team All-GSC West Division honoree, notched 13 digs and junior outside hitter Thabata Galvao (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had a team-high 15 digs.
UWA, who ends its season with a 10-21 record, was paced by Thais Hollerbach, who closed out her collegiate career with eight kills and nine digs, while Alexis McHale had 19 assists and seven digs in the loss.
Friday’s first round match featured 10 ties and four lead changes, of which three were in the first set. After hitting just .162 in the first set, Tech combined to hit .413 over the final two sets, including hitting .484 in the third set en route to posting a 25-11 win.
With the win, Tech advances to a 12 p.m. semifinal match-up on Saturday, Nov. 13 against North Alabama (20-8). UNA advanced to the semifinals with a five-set win over Christian Brothers in the first round. The Lady Lions dropped the first two sets against the Lady Buccaneers, before rallying to win the final three sets. Tech is 0-13 all-time against UNA, including being 0-7 against the Lady Lions in the GSC Tournament.
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