ADA, Okla. — Henderson State pushed East Central to five sets on Friday night, but the Reddies came up just short in the final frame and fell to the Tigers 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-13, 13-15) on the road in the Sooner State.
The Reddies (15-6, 4-4) were led offensively by Violeta Mendoza Quintana, who had 15 kills and a .238 attacking percentage. Both Mya Robinson and Madison Hatt recorded double-doubles, as Robinson finished with 12 kills and 13 digs, and Hatt added 19 assists and 13 digs. Brae Denton had 11 block assists in the loss.
As a team, Henderson had a .136 attacking percentage to just .072 for ECU and out-blocked the Tigers 34-13.
HSU returns to action tomorrow when it faces Southeastern Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. in Durant, Oklahoma.
SET ONE
The Reddies jumped out to a 3-0 lead to begin the match on the road, but East Central countered with the next five in a row to even out what was a back-and-forth set. HSU led 17-15, but the Tigers finished with a flurry and took 10 of the last 14 points to surge and win the opening frame 25-21.
SET TWO
Henderson rebounded in the second set and got out to an 8-2 lead behind five early ECU errors. The Tigers rallied and eventually took a 14-13 lead, but HSU controlled things down the stretch and used two kills from Kaitlyn Sykes to power a 12-6 spurt which gave the Reddies a 25-20 win.
SET THREE
It was all East Central early in the third, as the Tigers jumped in front quickly, 7-2. Henderson gradually worked its way back into the set, and even tied it on three occasions, but could never take the lead. ECU held the Reddies off and took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-22 victory.
SET FOUR
Needing a win to stay alive, the Reddies got an emphatic one in the fourth. HSU used a 7-0 run and a separate 6-0 run to gap East Central and run away to tie the match, 25-13. Henderson forced 12 Tiger errors in the frame and ECU had an attacking percentage of -0.147 in the set.
SET FIVE
The final frame was tight early, as Henderson held a 3-2 lead. The Tigers countered with a 5-1 run to go ahead 7-4, but three-straight points from the Reddies tied the set at 7-7. In that crucial moment, ECU took control and won five of the next six points to seize a commanding 12-8 advantage. HSU refused to roll over and clawed its way back within 14-13, but East Central came away with a kill on its second match-point to hold on and take it, 15-13.
