LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — During an emotional Friday night at the Jack Stephens Center, Little Rock got to celebrate twice – once pregame when the senior class was honored, and again following a 3-1 victory over Tennessee Tech that pushed the Trojans back into fourth place.
The Trojans (15-13, 10-6 OVC) needed the first set to settle in after a senior ceremony that had emotions running high. But once they found their rhythm, there was little doubt, as Little Rock rolled to set scores of 22-25, 25-13, 25-17, and 25-22.
"It was hard for me to deal with the emotions, so it had to be that much harder for the girls," head coach Van Compton said. "This is a very emotional team. I've seen them cry one second and laugh the next, so I wasn't surprised that they came back and played hard. These girls are very passionate; they have a level of passion that a lot of people don't have, and that's a beautiful thing."
It was certainly beautiful to see them put it all together once the emotions wore off and the Trojans settled into the action. Little Rock hit .360 in a dominant second set while shutting down the Golden Eagles across the final three frames. Tennessee Tech hit in the negative during the second and third sets and managed just .063 in the fourth, finishing at .047 on the night.
One of six seniors to play her final match at the Jack Stephens Center, middle blocker A'lanae Margaritha hammered down 11 kills on .368 hitting and added four blocks for a total of 15 points.
"We played for something bigger today … not just for the seniors, but to prove that we were capable of playing better than we did yesterday," Margaritha said. "We played and celebrated for each other. Everybody in the OVC knows what we're capable of and that we can beat anyone."
Bella Cherry led the Trojans with 12 kills, while seniors Jaycee Kennedy and Sophia Garrido added eight apiece, and Avery Fearnley chipped in seven. Five Trojans reached double figures in digs, led by Andrea Roman with 17. Cherry (12), Kaylee Smith (11), Dariana Valencia (10), and Crismeyli Rodriguez (10) all made key defensive contributions. Valencia paced the team with 20 assists, and Smith followed with 17.
Little Rock will travel to Lindenwood for its final regular season series next Tuesday and Wednesday. The Lions (10-14, 6-10) currently occupy the eighth and final spot eligible for the OVC Championships.
