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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State will leave the familiar space of Duke Wells Center for the first time this season as it will head north to take on the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns Tuesday, Feb. 9 in the first of two meetings this season. First serve inside Tucker Coliseum is at 6 p.m.
 
After all-but shutting out Southern Arkansas in their season-opener 3-1 and then falling to Harding last Tuesday 3-0, the Reddies (1-1) look to remain above .500 against a Golden Suns squad who leads the overall series against HSU, 30-22.
 
Henderson State won the last meeting against ATU at its place back on Nov. 5, 2019, 3-1. Current Reddies Abby Blackburn and Taylor Scalzi had 23 and 18 assists, respectively, in the victory. Blackburn also had 13 digs while then-sophomore Makenzie Thoman led the defensive effort with 35 digs.
 
Thoman, HSU's junior libero out of O'Fallon, Missouri, is closing in on 1,000 digs for her career as she is sitting at 963. With eight matches remaining on the schedule plus all of next season, the junior is eyeing top-10 all-time status as she is currently 273 digs away from moving into 10th all-time. Fellow-junior Scalzi is also playing her way into becoming an all-time Reddie with 1219 set assists in her career, 166 away from cracking the top-10.   
 
Junior-transfer Mya Robinson, after being redshirted in 2019, is making her presence felt in her first active year as a Reddie, leading HSU in kills in both contests. The North Little Rock, Arkansas native was responsible for 12 kills against SAU and backed that up with 11 against Harding.
 
Arkansas Tech | (2-0, 2-0)
The Golden Suns have yet to give up a set in their two matches, defeating both Ouachita Baptist and the University of Arkansas at Monticello 3-0 a piece. ATU has not given up more than 21 points in any one of its six sets through two games.
 
Brianna Merkel has been all over the assist game in Arkansas Tech's first two outings, putting up 26 against OBU and then 37 against UAM in what was ATU's home-opener. Addison Masters also had a career-high 12 kills in the win over the Cotton Blossoms of Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Arkansas Tech is 1-0 at home in the early going this season while it held a 3-5 record at home in 2019. ATU was outscored by a narrow margin of 14-to-17 in home matches that season.