Bronchos Complete 4-0 Weekend

9/7/2013 1:00:00 PM

Tyler Gromann

Henderson State Box
Southern Arkansas Box

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. (Sept. 7) – Central Oklahoma polished off a dominating weekend in the season-opening Henderson State Classic with a pair of three-set sweeps here Saturday afternoon.

Tyler Gromann collected a career-high 10 kills and led a sizzling attack that carried the Bronchos to a 25-10, 25-18, 25-8 rout of the host Reddies in the first match before freshman Allison Barr had 11 kills in a 25-16, 25-19, 25-18 triumph over Southern Arkansas in the final match.

Head coach Edgar Miraku's squad didn't drop a set in winning all four matches during the two-day event, with the 4-0 start the best for UCO since the 1994 team opened 9-0 en route to a 32-5 finish.

"It was a great weekend for us and I'm really happy for our team," Miraku said. "We had some stretches were we struggled a little, but overall we played extremely well and it's great to get off to such a good start."

The Bronchos hit .398 with 45 kills and just 10 errors in 88 attacks in the HSU win, with Gromann leading the way. The sophomore right-side hitter hit .562 with 10 kills with one error in 16 attacks while adding three assisted blocks.

Juliette Smith had a .583 attack percentage with eight kills and one error in 12 attacks, while Barr hit .462 (eight kills, two errors, 13 attacks) and Barbara Jackson .438 (eight kills, one error, 16 attacks) and Mallory Fox .375 (seven kills, one error, 16 attacks).

Katy Davis had 31 assists for UCO, which got service aces from six different players in finishing with seven for the match.

The Bronchos never trailed in rolling to the first set win as Jackson had six kills during one seven-point stretch. UCO trailed 2-0 to open the second set before taking control and jumped out to a big lead early in the third en route to closing out the match.

Barr hit .444 in the SAU victory with 11 kills and three errors in 18 attacks, with the rookie middle blocker adding four total blocks. Smith and Jackson contributed seven kills apiece and Gromann had six, while Davis dished out 31 assists and Tate Hardaker had 18 digs.

Kills by Jackson and Smith to start the first set gave UCO a lead it would never relinquish and Barr's kill broke an 8-8 tie in the second set that propelled the Bronchos to that win.

SAU led most of the early going in the third set and was up 10-8 before UCO surged in front for good with a 5-0 run behind back-to-back kills by Jackson.

Smith, Gromann and Hardaker were all named to the all-tournament team.

The Bronchos go back on the road next weekend, traveling to Ada and Durant for the Tiger/Savage Storm Classic.

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