ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State opened the Bettye Wallace Invitational with two wins as the team swept West Alabama 3-0 in the first match and defeated Southwest Baptist in four sets in the day's final contest.
 
Jacey Tupper and Christiane Uzoh led the attack for the Reddies in the first match against UWA with six kills each and both hitting over .300. Larkin Luke accounted for the most points scored on the team with 8.0, recording five kills and four total blocks.
 
In the second match, Violeta Mendoza Quintana tallied a team-high 15 kills, followed by Uzoh and Brae Denton with ten each. Luke had another big match at the net with 5.0 total blocks, including back-to-back solo blocks to win the first set. Madison Hatt recorded a double-double with 24 assists and 15 digs.
 
MATCH ONE: HENDERSON STATE 3, WEST ALABAMA 0
 
SET ONE
The Reddies set the tone early in the first set, jumping ahead 11-4. Luke accounted for three of HSU's first ten points off back-to-back kills and a solo block. Uzoh got in on the action with two kills and a block assist with Luke to extend Henderson's advantage to 18-10. Up 23-13, Henderson went on a 3-0 run, featuring two kills from Tupper to win the frame 25-13.  
 
SET TWO
Henderson had a fast start to the second set, racing out to 6-1 with two kills from Uzoh. Kills by Mia Sanchez, Hatt and Denton grew the Reddies' advantage to 13-6. HSU kept the Tigers at arm's length for the entire set, not allowing UWA to get within five points for the remainder of the set.
 
Kaylon Partain had back-to-back service aces to put Henderson within striking distance of the set point 21-12. A kill from Luke and three errors by UWA finished the set 25-14 for HSU.
 
SET THREE
The opening exchanges of set three went back and forth, with neither team able to find any separation at 13-13. HSU took the lead 15-13 after back-to-back errors by the Tigers and the head coach for UWA used its first timeout. Out of the break, West Alabama tied the set at 15-15, but HSU would find the separation it was looking for on a 4-0 run, capped off by a service ace from Dani Dagley, 19-15.
 
West Alabama used its final timeout after the flurry of attacks by Henderson. With the momentum on their side, the Reddies outscored West Alabama 6-2 in the final rallies to win the set 25-18 and complete the sweep.
 
MATCH TWO: HENDERSON STATE 3, SOUTHWEST BAPTIST 1
 
SET ONE
The Reddies were trailing 3-1 in the early stages of the frame after two attack errors by the home side. Kills by Uzoh and Mendoza Quintana sparked a 4-0 run that would give HSU its first lead of the set 5-3. The sides traded the next few points before the Bearcats found some daylight on a 5-1 run to retake the lead 11-7.
 
From there, at 11-11, the two sides went back and forth, exchanging points. At 22-22, kills by Uzoh and Mia Sanchez put the Reddies in position to take the opening frame, but SBU fought back to knot things up at 25-25. Back-to-back solo blocks by Luke won the opening set for HSU 28-26 after Southwest Baptist battled off two set points for Henderson.
 
SET TWO
Again, Southwest Baptist took the early advantage, 3-1, and continued leading until the Reddies tied the frame 8-8 after kills from Tupper and Mendoza Quintana. HSU would take its first lead of the set the following exchange on a kill from Denton. The two sides traded points until a 3-0 run by the Bearcats gave them some breathing room, 17-15. Henderson tied the set at 19-19 off a service ace from Hatt, but SBU would go on a 6-0 run to win 25-19.
 
SET THREE
This time, Henderson would be ahead 3-0 in the opening moments of set three. However, SBU responded with a flurry of attacks to go up 10-5 after a 6-0 run and a 4-0 run. HSU battled back to tie the set at 13-13 after three kills from Jagoda Szybinska and kills by Mendoza Quintana and Tupper. The Reddies kept up the pace to go ahead 23-19 before Partin closed the door on the frame with a service ace, 25-20. 
 
SET FOUR
The beginning stages of the fourth frame were cagey as neither side could find an advantage with the score tied 7-7. Sanchez helped break the deadlock with a kill and block assists before Luke and Uzoh each had a block, 15-9. HSU held a three to four point margin over the Bearcats the through middle stages of the frame. 
 
Late in the set, Southwest Baptist stayed alive in the final moments on a 5-0 run to send the frame into extra points. HSU put together a 3-0 run to close out the set 26-24, capped off by a service ace from Carson Edwards and a kill from Sanchez.  
                                                                                             
Henderson State (4-2, 0-0) will play one match tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. against Western New Mexico inside the Duke Wells Center.