PITTSBURG, Kan. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith improved to 7-1 after collecting two more wins Saturday over Northwestern Oklahoma State and Pittsburg State at the Gorilla Classic. The Lions swept NWOSU in their morning match before defeating the Gorillas, 3-0, in the tournament finale.

Next up for the Lions is the Lone Star Conference Crossover September 14-16 in Kingsville, Texas.

UAFS 3, NWOSU 0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-16)

The Lions fell behind 4-0 in the opening set but quickly turned things around en route to a sweep of the Rangers. UAFS answered with four straight points of their own and later broke a 16-16 tie with a 5-1 run.

UAFS started fast in set two, jumping out to a 5-0 advantage before eventually leading 19-5. The Rangers clawed within eight before the Lions put the set away.

The Lions hit .345 in the final set, bookending it with 6-2 and 6-1 runs.

Middle blocker Hannah Watkins paced the Lion attack with 10 kills and a .556 attack percentage while fellow middle blocker Angelina Hardison added 10 kills and hit .391.

Setter Chloe Price dished out 34 assists to go with 12 digs, while libero Paola Fragalle had 13 digs and defensive specialist Lauren Weber 11.

UAFS outhit NWOSU .245 to .088 and had eight aces to just one for the Rangers. Price and Weber each had three aces.

Pitt State 3, UAFS 0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21)

The Gorillas outhit the Lions .244 to .093 including .333 in the third set as the Lions suffered their second loss of the season. UAFS led 16-12 in the first set before PSU closed on a 13-2 run and carried that momentum through the second and third sets.

Outside hitters Caelyn Gunn and Nyia Anderson led the Lions with nine and seven kills, respectively. Price passed out 20 assists in the loss.

Defensively, Fragalle had 14 digs while Gunn tallied 13 and defensive specialist Taylor Lintz 10.