Tech, who won its second GSC West Division title in three years and its fifth division title since joining the league in 1995 after finishing with an 11-1 league record, enters the GSC Tournament sporting a 30-4 overall record and the Golden Suns have won 12 straight matches and 25 of its last 26 since dropping two straight in early September at the Nova Southern Sharks Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Tech’s only loss during this stretch came at home on Oct. 5 to Christian Brothers as the Lady Buccaneers collected a three-set victory over the Golden Suns.
“We’ve struggled in the first round the past couple of years, but I feel like this is a different team with a different mindset this year,” Golden Suns Head Coach Kristy Bayer said. “I feel like we’re more prepared and hungry this year to not repeat our past first round mistakes.”
Since advancing to the tournament final in 2002, the Golden Suns have lost in the first round of its last five trips to the GSC Tournament, including falling in five sets last season to West Alabama in the first round at Harding. In fact, Bayer is 0-5 as Tech’s coach in the GSC Tournament.
“Our team is playing with a lot of confidence right now and our three seniors have shown a lot of leadership this year, so I’m excited to see how we’ll perform this weekend,” the seventh-year Tech coach said.
Tech will be facing a familiar opponent in its tournament opener on Friday as the Golden Suns collected a three-set win earlier this season over the Lady Tigers at the UAH/Country Inn & Suites Invitational in Huntsville, Ala. In addition, UWA is the team that defeated Tech in the first round of last year’s GSC Tournament. Friday’s meeting with UWA will be the ninth in the series with Tech holding a 6-2 series edge, including being 1-1 in the GSC Tournament.
UWA enters the tournament sporting a 10-20 overall record and a 2-8 mark in the GSC East Division. The Lady Tigers enter the postseason having lost seven of its last 10 matches, but ended the regular season with a four-set home win over Alabama-Huntsville.
“UWA is much improved team from the last time we faced them. They have played some tough competition in the East Division and should be tested,” said Bayer, who became Tech’s all-time winningest coach earlier this season passing former coach Tracy McWilliams, who won 137 matches as Tech’s coach from 1996-00. Bayer has now won 165 matches as Tech’s coach.
UWA is led by the play of senior outside hitter Thais Hollerbach. Hollerbach, who was named a First-Team All-GSC East Division selection on Wednesday, is averaging 2.88 kills and 3.42 digs per set. In addition to Hollerbach, junior setter Alexis McHale is averaging 6.4 assists per set, while junior middle blocker Katelyn Beardshear is averaging 2.33 kills and 0.6 blocks per set on the season.
In addition to Tech and West Alabama, other first round matches on Friday are East Division #2 seed North Alabama (19-8, 8-2) facing West Division #3 seed Christian Brothers (17-13, 9-3) at 12 p.m. and then West Division #2 seed Harding (17-10, 10-2) facing East Division #3 seed Valdosta State (21-10, 7-3) at 5 p.m., before East Division champion, tournament host and 23rd-ranked West Florida (25-6, 9-1) closes out the first round against West Division No. 4 seed Henderson State (14-13, 5-7) at 7:30 p.m.
Tech, who is ninth in this week’s latest NCAA Division II South Regional rankings and is one of five GSC teams in this week’s South Regional rankings, has posted a 7-1 record against teams in this year’s GSC Tournament.
The winners of Friday’s Tech-UWA match will meet the winner of the UNA/CBU match in one of two semifinal matches at 12 p.m. on Saturday. The GSC Tournament Championship match is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and the winner of the tournament receives the GSC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament.
All the matches at this year’s tournament will feature live stats on West Florida’s website (www.GoArgos.com) and also all the matches will feature live web streaming at www.GoArgos.com.
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