HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – SWOSU Volleyball saw their Great American Conference Tournament run, and season, come to an end against No. 2-seeded Oklahoma Baptist on Friday afternoon in the first semifinal match of the day. The Bulldogs battled the Bison in three close sets but were on the wrong end of a 3-0 result.

It's just the second time all season SWOSU has fallen in straight sets. The Bulldogs had opportunities throughout but could not string together the needed points late in any set to overtake the Bison.

Set 1

SWOSU got out to a slow start and found themselves trailing 16-9 before making a push. Six consecutive points from the Bulldogs had them right back in business until the 20-20 mark when OBU closed out the set with five unanswered points. The offense hit the highest percentage of the match, .235, but so did the Bison at .375.  

Set 2

In a marathon set that featured 16 ties and another five lead swaps, SWOSU finally conceded by a final of 30-28. SWOSU had the Bison on the ropes late with five set points but could not close them out. This came after OBU had erased a 19-16 deficit previously.

Set 3

Nine errors and a match low .077 hitting percentage did not help SWOSU's comeback cause. Despite this, the Dawgs were again right in the thick of things late tied at 21-21 before OBU put the match to bed with the next four points.

SWOSU's .137 team hitting percentage for the match marks the third lowest of the season, while OBU's .230 is the fourth highest opponent mark.

Lacy Mott (.154) finished with 12 kills and 11 digs. Zoey Sparks (1s-5a) and Hailey Smith (1s-4a) combined for nearly all of SWOSU's blocks. Jada Permenter had a team high 17 digs.  

Excluding the short COVID season, the Bulldogs have now won at least 16 wins in five consecutive campaigns and finish just shy of the 20-win mark in 2023 at 19-9.