FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball improved to 6-0 at home with a strong defensive performance in a 25-11, 25-18, 25-18 sweep of St. Edward’s Friday at Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center.
The Lions held St. Edward’s to a .015 attack percentage, their best defensive mark of the season. They limited the Hilltoppers to a negative percentage in both the first and third sets. Outside hitter Nyia Anderson led three Lions with double-digit digs with 18.
UAFS was also a force at the net, holding an 11-3 edge in blocks. Middle blocker Hannah Watkins was involved in eight blocks while right-side hitter Reagan Macha and setter Chloe Price each chipped in with three.
The Lions started the match with a 5-1 run and quickly followed that up with a 6-0 burst for an 11-2 advantage. The 25-11 set win matches the second largest set win of the season.
Set two went back-and-forth at the start before the Lions broke a 9-9 tie with a 6-0 run. That would prove to be all the Lions needed in the set as they hit .273.
Three 4-0 runs fueled the Lions in set four, including one to erase a 15-13 deficit which was part of a larger 7-1 run. With St. Edward’s within three, UAFS scored the final four points of the match to finish off the sweep.
Price dished out 29 assists in the match, with outside hitter Caelyn Gunn being her favorite target, leading the Lions with nine kills. Macha added eight kills while both Anderson and Watkins had seven. Price added 15 digs, as well, with libero Paola Fragalle collecting 14 digs.
Gunn, Anderson and Price all had two aces apiece as the Lions had seven aces to just one for the Hilltoppers.
UAFS is back in action Saturday at the Stubblefield Center at 2 p.m. against St. Mary’s.
