Box Score
Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – With a two-set lead and up 8-2 to open the third set, it appeared that the Southwestern Oklahoma State University volleyball was going to cruise to a second straight three-set victory on Saturday afternoon.
Ouachita Baptist, however, had other plans and rallied back to take the third set 25-22 and eventually claim the match with a comeback in the fifth set. Scores of the set were 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 22-25, 14-16.
The Bulldogs energy from Friday night carried over early on as they took the 2-0 lead.
Joey Collins and
Carly Zak each put down nine kills through two sets while
Alison Cole had seven more to put SWOSU in control of the match.
Early in the third set, SWOSU used back-to-back service aces from
Breann Whitaker to take an 8-2 lead, but OBU gradually cut into the lead until taking their first lead at 21-20. The Tigers scored five of the final seven points in set three to stay alive in the match.
The fourth set was back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than two points until Ouachita Baptist pulled away late with kills by Jayme Shell and Abby Pickettt to take the set 25-22.
SWOSU was in control for most of the fifth set, leading 8-5 at the turn and quickly pushing that lead to 11-5 and forcing an OBU timeout. The Bulldogs earned four match points by taking a 14-10 lead after an error on the Tigers, but OBU responded with six consecutive points, including back-to-back blocks to end the match.
Zak and Cole each had 20-kill efforts to lead SWOSU. Zak put down 21 kills and Cole 20 in the effort while
Joey Collins added 17. The Bulldogs put down 68 kills in the match, as opposed to 62 for OBU, but were outhit .218 to .195 by the Tigers.
Brandy Mader directed the SWOSU offense with 35 assists and five players reached double figures in digs, led by
Kaila Lancaster with 17. Cole also finished with a game-high eight blocks (two solo, six assist), and she now holds the SWOSU single-season record for assist blocks with 83 so far in her senior year.
SWOSU falls to 8-16 on the year with the loss and 4-3 in the Great American Conference heading into Tuesday's trip to Durant to face Southeastern Oklahoma State.
