WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The SWOSU Bulldogs took down the #13 Oklahoma Baptist Bison 3-2 in an absolute thriller on Thursday night.
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In front of a record crowd at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, the Bulldogs fed off the electric atmosphere to notch their first ever victory over a ranked opponent when they took down the Bison. After sweeping the Texas Woman's Pioneer Classic last weekend, the Dawgs stayed hot and earned an upset victory in their first game in front of Dawg Nation in over two years. Â
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The 1,474 in attendance watched these two teams put on a show, as the back and forth affair kept you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The score was tied 17 times with seven lead changes in the first set alone. The match would finish with 39 total ties and 16 lead changes.
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Oklahoma Baptist came out strong, converting 22 kills in the first set that wound up being tied at 21-21 late, but the Bison would take four of the next five points to take the set.
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It would be all Bulldogs for the next two sets, however. The second set was defined by runs and momentum. OBU appeared to have control early, taking 7-4, 12-10, and 16-13 leads at various points, but SWOSU fought back with two separate five-point scoring runs of their own to take the set and even up the score after two.
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Dominant is the only word that can describe the work done by Head Coach Josh Collin's team in the third set. The Bulldogs continued their momentum to start the third and found themselves up 11-1 in the blink of an eye. Two early OBU time outs did little to stem the tide and SWOSU took the set 25-16. Six total blocks and two kills from
Markenzie Benoit in the third alone led the way alongside a rocking crowd that forced Oklahoma Baptist into 14 total errors in the set.
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The Bison would win the fourth set despite four kills and a block from
Taryn Galt, setting the stage for ultimate drama in the fifth and final frame.
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In a perfect reflection of the rest of the match, the fifth set went back and forth. The Bulldogs had to overcome three service errors, but found themselves right in the thick of it with the set all tied up at 10-10. A controversial call gave OBU a point at a critical point in the game and seemed to take the wind out of SWOSU's sails.
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On the brink of defeat at 12-14, Coach Collins' squad buckled up, locked in, and rattled off four straight points to take the set and the match.
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Freshman
Taryn Galt continues to announce her presence to SWOSU fans and the Great American Conference as a whole with her play so far this season. She was responsible for three of the final four points of the match with a kill, a service ace, and by forcing an attacking error. The rest of her night was just as impressive as she racked up a career high 14 kills and 17.5 points.
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Not one to be too greatly outdone, the reigning GAC Offensive Player of the Week
Markenzie Benoit contributed a whopping 10 total blocks to go along with her 10 kills. Benoit has put up double digit kills in all five games of SWOSU's current win streak.
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Samantha Kuzma and
Chezney Nielsen brought the energy in clutch moments throughout the night. Kuzma's three aces and nine kills and Nielsen's 10 kills and three total blocks provided points at important times throughout the match.
Allie Hoang was solid in the middle once again, providing 42 assists while also bagging five kills on zero attacking errors.
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The epic win for SWOSU Volleyball just happened to also be the 200
th win in program history. Could not have scripted a better win for such a monumental milestone.
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The Bulldogs will hope to keep their winning streak alive when they host Southeastern Oklahoma State on Tuesday at 7:00 pm in Weatherford. We hope to see all of our amazing fans back out at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center on Tuesday.
