SEARCY, ARK- The Miner volleyball team opened the Harding Tournament with a split of their two matches; sweeping the Buccaneers of Christian Brothers University 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-21) and falling to host Harding University in five (25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 32-30, 9-15).

In the first match of the day, it was all S&T as the team hit .358 in the three sets and recorded eight service aces.

After winning the first set 25-15, the Miners took a quick 8-4 lead over the Bucs in set two. CBU would go on an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the set. They would hold that lead until S&T began their own 8-0 run thanks to kills from Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State), two service aces from Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood), and a major block from Gannaway and Calla Meyer (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas).

With their 19-15 lead, the Miners would finish out the set with a 6-2 advantage to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

S&T never gave up the lead in the third and final set of the match, claiming the 3-0 sweep with a kill from Schlader. The win would move the Miners to 8-1 for the season.

Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) led the offensive efforts for the Miners, collecting 16 and 12 kills, respectively. Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood) dished out a match-high 38 assists while Lexi Netherlain (Sullivan, Ind./Sullivan) had a season and match-high 16 digs.

The Miners gave it their all in their second match of the day; three S&T hitters, Schlader, Gannaway, and Abigail Widiker (Hammond, Wis./Saint Croix Central), found themselves in double-digit kills while McGinnis handed out a career best 48 assists in the five-set match.

Defense was a big help for the Miners in the match; Schlader, Netherlain, Widiker, and Gannaway all picked up 10+ digs while Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) sent back four solo blocks and two block assists.

After taking the first set, Harding came back strong to claim back-to-back sets and quickly take the 2-1 lead.

S&T would not go down without a fight as they came back in the fourth set with 22 kills, eight from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) alone. The 32-30 win would force a fifth and final set.

Harding jumped on the Miners in the final set, gaining as much as a 7-1 lead. S&T would fight their way back make it 12-8, but the offense of the Lady Bison was too much for the Miners to stop as they went on to take the set and the match.

The Miners will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist University.