HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Henderson State volleyball is back in the GAC Championship for the first time since 2018 after a five-set thriller, which saw the Reddies defeat Harding 3-2. HSU (21-10, 10-6) will face No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist in tomorrow's final at 3 p.m. in the Bank OZK arena.
 
The Reddies become just the second No. 4 seed to beat the No. 1 seed at the GAC Tournament and are the first four-seed to reach the finals since 2015.
 
Violeta Mendoza Quintana led the HSU attack with 20 kills on a .258 attack average, while Christiane Uzoh and Larkin Luke also saw double-figure kills with 15 and 10, respectively. Mendoza Quintana added to her totals with 19 digs for her second double-double of the tournament and two service aces.
 
Trinity Sharp and Dani Dagley led the back row of the Reddies lineup, as Sharp recorded a team-high 32 digs, followed by Dagley with 28. At the net, Uzoh and Brae Denton combined for 11 blocks and held Harding to a .162 attack average.  
 
SET ONE
A slow start by the Reddies saw them trail the Lady Bisons 8-3, but HSU quickly settled in, rattling off four straight points before Mendoza slammed down back-to-back kills to give Henderson State its first lead 12-10. After a Harding timeout, two more kills by Mendoza Quintana and another from Szybinska stretched the Reddies' advantage to 16-12.
 
Henderson State kept up the pressure on a 3-0 run that had back-to-back kills by Uzoh to stay in front 19-14. Luke capped off a 25-19 set win with a kill as the Reddies took a 1-0 lead in the match. The HSU attack hit .239, led by Mendoza Quintana, who scored six kills, while Harding was held to a .102 attack average.
 
SET TWO
The Reddies jumped on top of the Lady Bisons early, taking a 6-3. Harding battled back to tie the set 6-6 and eventually grab a 10-8 edge. Uzoh and Mia Sanchez combined to spark an HSU 4-0 as the Reddies retook the lead 14-12.
 
Three ties and two lead changes had the score locked at 17 all, but Mendoza would rattle off three straight kills to put HSU back in front 20-17. Harding went on a late run, scoring four consecutive points and fending off an HSU set-point to tie the frame 24-24. The Reddies would secure their second set win after two HU errors to win the frame 26-24.
 
SET THREE
A fast start by Harding saw HSU trail 7-3 and then 14-7. HU kept on the front foot, extending its advantage 17-9. The Lady Bisons took command of the third stanza with a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 23-11 and win the frame 25-14.
 
SET FOUR
Back-to-back service aces by Mendoza Quintana opened an 8-3 lead to start the fourth stanza. Harding cut HSU's down to one on a 4-0 run, but the Reddies stretched their edge back out to 13-8 with a pair of kills by Mendoza Quintana. Henderson State kept in front 20-13, but a late charge by the Lady Bisons saw Harding take the lead 23-22. HSU responded with two straight kills to get to match point 24-23, but HU would fend off the set point with three kills to win the fourth frame 26-24.
 
SET FIVE
Needing just 15 points to secure a spot in the GAC Championships, the Reddies led 3-1 in the opening exchanges of the final set. Harding took its first advantage of the frame on a 4-0 run to lead 5-3. HSU replied with two quick points to tie the set and later with a 3-0 run with kills by Szybinska and Luke to go ahead 9-7.
 
HSU kept the pressure on Harding, rattling off three straight points to stretch its advantage to 12-8, forcing a HU timeout. Out of the break, Mendoza Quintana and Uzoh each slammed down a kill, and a Harding attack error would seal a 15-10 win.