SILOAM SPRINGS -- Senior Savanna Riney and junior Taylor Golmen each pounded nine kills and the John Brown University volleyball team secured its seventh straight-sets win of the season with a sweep (25-16, 25-16, 25-13) of Langston (Okla.) on Saturday (Sept. 23) afternoon inside Bill George Arena.
In the win, the Golden Eagles (12-7, 5-3 Sooner Athletic) reached the double-digit ace threshold for the fourth time this season, boasting 10 aces from the service line. Senior Morgan Fincham led the way with three, while junior Julie Milligan and freshman Mia Baedke each added a pair.
Despite a narrow 10-9 deficit early in the first set, John Brown responded with an 11-1 run to pull ahead, 20-11. Four JBU errors fueled a small Lions (1-14, 0-8) rally, but a pair of Langston miscues followed by an ace from freshman Sarah Graham closed out the lopsided first set.
There would only be two ties and two lead changes the rest of the match.
"The team came out and picked up right where we left off last night," head coach Ken Carver noted. "We continued to serve aggressively which caused an already depleted Langston team to be out of system for the majority of the match.
"Offensively, we were very efficient, especially during the first two sets. It was great to finish off the weekend with back-to-back conference wins and get some positive momentum heading into next week."
The Golden Eagles hit at a .254 (41-12-114) mark on the match, with junior Erin Mullins attacking at .500 with seven kills on an efficient 12 swings. Riney and Golmen combined for 18 kills and each hit over .200 on the afternoon.
For the eighth time this season, Milligan notched 20 digs, while Golmen and Mullins combined for six blocks on defense.
Fincham (15) and Baedke (11) ran the John Brown offense that used 38 helpers to induce 41 terminations.
With the four match homestand in the rearview mirror, John Brown will now take a tour of Oklahoma City this weekend. On Friday (Sept. 29) evening, the Golden Eagles will take on Mid-America Christian (Okla.) at 7 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center before facing Science & Arts (Okla.) at 7 p.m. at the Drover Fieldhouse. Both matches are scheduled to air live on the SAC Sports Network.
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