The Ouachita Baptist University volleyball team split four matches over the weekend at the Austin College Volleyball Invitational.
The Lady Tigers (9-23) dropped the opening match to host Austin College, 3-1 with scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-22, 25-17. Ouachita rebounded in the first night with a 3-0 victory over Paul Quinn with scores of 25-6, 25-13, 25-14. During Saturday’s play, the Lady Tigers dropped a hard-fought 3-2 match to Southwestern with scores of 25-23, 21-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-12. Ouachita ended the weekend with a 3-1 victory over Ripon with scores of 33-35, 25-16, 25-14, 25-11.
In the opener Friday, Raichel Settle paced the Ouachita offense with 11 kills and 23 digs for the double-double. Lexie Hegi recorded 27 assists and 15 digs to also finish with a double-double. Lauren Stuart had a team-high 24 digs and Kristyn Howk chipped in with 12 digs.
Against Paul Quinn, Howk and Ryleigh Lay led the Lady Tigers’ offense with 13 and nine kills, respectively. Hegi added 37 assists.
On Saturday in the opening match of the day, Ouachita had four players in double-digit kills, but just fell short against Southwestern.
Libby Merritt and Meredith Henry led the way offensively with 17 and 15 kills. Kaitlyn Mitcham finished with 11 and Settle had 10 kills and 24 digs. Hegi registered 56 assists and 13 digs. Stuart recorded a team-high 35 digs, while Howk and Stephanie Carrell each had 17 and 12, respectively.
In the final match of the day, Lay had a season-high 18 kills, while hitting .654 in a victory over Ripon. Howk and Kate Strom finished with 11 and 10 kills each. Hegi recorded 50 assists and 14 digs for her third double-double of the weekend. Carrell led the way defensively with 30 digs and Anna Ryan added 20.
Ouachita takes on rival Henderson State, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28 at the Duke Wells Center in a key Gulf South Conference West Division match.
