ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State's late comeback falls short in the fifth set as the Reddies fall to Southwestern Oklahoma State 3-2 at the Duke Wells Center. 
 
HSU (12-6, 4-2) and SWOSU finished with 54 kills each, but the Bulldogs outhit the Reddies .164 to .159. Henderson had three players reach double-figure kills as Christiane Uzoh notched 15, while Jagoda Szybinska and Violeta Mendoza Quintana had 13 and 12, respectively.
 
Mendoza Quintana added to her double-digit kills with 16 digs for a double-double, and Madison Hatt also saw a double-double, recording 30 assists and 12 digs. Brae Denton posted a team-high seven blocks, and Trinity Sharp saw 24 digs and a pair of service aces.
 
SET ONE
Henderson State and Southwestern Oklahoma State went back and forth, trading points with the score tied 9-9. The Reddies broke the deadlock on a 4-0 run, started by a kill from Denton, as HSU took its first edge in the set, 13-10. Henderson's lead stretched to 18-13 after kills by Mendoza Quintana, Larkin Luke and Szybinska.
 
Mendoza Quintana tallied three more kills in the final six points for HSU, with the other three points coming from two service aces by Luke and Hatt and a solo block from Denton. Henderson took the first set 25-17 and hit .364 while holding SWOUS to a .143 attack average.
 
SET TWO
Another cagey start saw the score locked at 6-6, and the Bulldogs would be the first to find a breakthrough after a 5-1 tear to take the lead 12-8. SWOSU added to its advantage on a 3-0 run to extend its advantage to 15-9. Southwestern Oklahoma State continued to stay ahead, growing its edge to 23-13 before HSU cut the deficit to six, 24-18. The Bulldogs would score the final point to even the match at 1-1 after a 25-18 set victory.
 
SET THREE
SWOSU led 12-7 through the early stages of set three after taking the lead on a 6-2 run. Three straight errors by the Bulldogs brought HSU with two, 12-10, but SWOSU would re-establish its lead to 16-11 on a 4-1 stretch. Southwestern Oklahoma State's attack kept up the pace as they took its largest lead of the frame, 22-12. The Bulldogs would take the third set 25-17 and have their first lead in the match 2-1.
 
SET FOUR
Needing to win the set to force an additional frame, Henderson State raced ahead to a 7-1 lead that started with a kill from Denton and ended with back-to-back aces by Sharp. The Bulldogs came within four after a 2-0 run by the Reddies stretched their advantage to 12-5 with two kills from Szybinska. HSU did not allow SWOSU to string together more than two points as they grew their edge to 19-10.
 
After the flurry of attacks by the red-and-gray, the Bulldogs found some late rhythm with four straight points to cut the Reddies' lead to 21-16. SWOSU had another 4-0 run, which brought them within three points, but Henderson closed out the frame with two consecutive points to force a fifth set, 25-20.
 
SET FIVE
Needing 15 points to win the match, HSU came out strong in the final set as Uzoh had four kills through the first 11 points, with the Reddies leading 6-5. Henderson grew its advantage to three after kills by Emma Parsons, Mendoza Quintana and Szybinska, 9-6. SWOSU responded with a 6-1 run to tie the set at 11-11 and then went on a 4-0 stretch to close out the set 15-12 and win the final frame.
 
Henderson State (12-6, 4-2) resumes home action tomorrow at 5 p.m. when they host Northwestern Oklahoma State.