CHICKASHA, Okla. -- In a decisive four-set victory (25-8, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17), the John Brown University volleyball team completed the season sweep of Science & Arts (Okla.) on Friday evening (Oct. 25) inside the Drover Fieldhouse.
The Golden Eagles (11-14, 10-7 SAC) showcased dominance in the middle, led by seniors Erin Mullins and Taylor Golmen. Mullins posted a match-high .440 hitting percentage with 11 kills on 25 attempts, while Golmen added nine kills and an impressive .409 hitting percentage, contributing both offensively and defensively. Together, the middle hitters' production finished at a combined .426 (20-0-47) and produced 11 total blocks, two solo and three assisted and six assisted from Mullins and Golmen, respectively.
Senior Savanna Riney was also crucial on the outside, adding a match-best 13 terminations on a .320 hitting percentage.
The John Brown serving game largely kept USAO out of sync, with senior Julie Milligan leading the way with two aces, adding to her team-high 16 digs. Additionally, Senior Grace Barfknecht and Riney each added a pair of aces from the service line.
Setter Emma DeSanti orchestrated the offense, which finished at a .243 clip (49-16-136), dishing out 24 assists to fuel the Golden Eagles' attack, her sixth performance of 20 or more assists. Freshman Tessa Burton added nine helpers
Behind 7-0 and 14-2 leads early in the first set, the visitors established control quickly, winning 25-8.
Behind its best offensive effort of the night (.265), USAO responded with a much stronger showing in the second set, rallying to edge out the Golden Eagles 25-23 after a breaking the frame's sixth tie at 20 apiece.
In the third set, John Brown regained momentum, breaking open a narrow 6-4 lead via a 10-2 rally to take a 16-6 lead. The Drovers couldn't recover, and kills from Riney, Golmen and sophomore Akayla Kador down the stretch closed out the set and returned the lead back to JBU, 2-1.
The visitors hit .295 (17-4-44) in the fourth set, and managed to withstand six ties and six lead changes. A 6-1 Drover rally midway through the period gave the hosts a 16-13 lead, but John Brown rallied on a match-clinching 12-1 run – fueled by five Drover errors.
"I'm proud of our focus and effort tonight against USAO," head coach Ken Carver admitted after his 400th career victory. "They secured a quality road win to start our weekend of play. We served aggressively and effectively for most of the night, putting pressure on USAO's offense. Our strong blocking effort helped us shut down their offense for most of the match. Both of our middle hitters excelled offensively and defensively, contributing significantly to our team's success.
"With the conference standings so tight, every win is crucial for us to secure a high seed in the Sooner Athletic tournament and continue momentum heading into the postseason. Tonight's win is a step in the right direction."
Despite strong play from USAO's Alacia Ledoux, who led the Drovers (12-14, 8-9) with 10 kills and 11 digs, and Bailey Makahununiu, who recorded 27 assists and 16 digs.
John Brown returns to action on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26), traveling to Oklahoma City hoping for a season sweep of face Mid-America Christian at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on the SAC Sports Network.
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