University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Bronchos Roll On Opening Day

9/5/2014 4:07:00 PM

Madison King

UCO-Union Box
UCO-HSU Box

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. (Sept. 5) -- A balanced attack carried Central Oklahoma to a pair of season-opening routs on the first day of the Henderson State Invitational here Friday.

The Bronchos got six-plus kills from four players in each match in cruising to a 25-12, 25-15, 25-14 romp over Union (Tenn.) and a 25-13, 25-22, 25-16 victory over the host Reddies. UCO (2-0) returns Saturday to take on Southeastern Oklahoma and McMurry.

"We got contributions from a lot of different players and had a pretty good day," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "We did a good job of spreading the ball around and played good defense."

The Bronchos never trailed in the first two sets against Union, seizing control quickly in each to take command of the match. Union's only lead of the day came at 2-1 in the third set and it was tied 10-10 before Bonnie Vernon had two kills in a 7-0 run that made it 17-0 and UCO pulled away from there.

Barbara Jackson and Madison King had nine kills apiece to pace the Bronchos, while Allison Barr and Sabetha Young added seven kills each. Katy Davis had 31 assists, seven digs and two kills, while Whitney Gifford contributed a match-high 12 digs.

Juliette Smith had a kill and solo block to key an early 7-0 scoring spurt that gave UCO a big early lead in the opening set against HSU, but the Bronchos had to rally from several deficits to pull out the second set.

UCO was down 9-3 before rallying to tie it at 11-all and it was deadlocked again at 17 when Erika Warren put the Bronchos in front to stay with a kill. Joanna Huckabee followed with an ace, Warren had another kill to make it 20-17 and the Reddies couldn't answer.

Central never trailed in the third set en route to putting the match away.

Smith finished with six kills and nine blocks (six solo, three assisted) to pace the Bronchos. Jackson had a team-high nine kills, with Vernon adding seven and Barr six.

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