After suffering a tough loss from MidAmerican Christian University (MACU) on their home court, USAO traveled to Southwestern Christian University (SCU) Saturday, Sept. 2 for their second conference game of the season.
USAO started the match with a 3-2 overall record and 0-1 conference record. The Eagles started the game with a 2-4 overall record and an 0-2 conference record.
“After a tough loss to MACU, our mentality coming into this next game was only positive. Of course, it was a tough loss to start off the 2023 season, but we told ourselves that we weren’t going to let this dictate the rest of our season. We have the talent, we are capable of competing so all we can do is just forget about it and move on to the next and be better,” Madison Garcia, a senior setter, said.
The team took that advice with the first point of the game, which came from a kill by USAO’s Giselle Calderon, a freshman middle blocker. The Drovers maintained their comfortable lead throughout the set by going on quick runs, including a five-point run and a six-point run. Victoria Southerland, a junior outside hitter, earned USAO’s 25th point of the set with one of her ten kills recorded during the match.
Once again, USAO earned the first point in the second set off a ball handling error on SCU’s part. Early in the second set, USAO went on a six-point run, which included a kill by Soleil Trejo, a kill by Isaline Jacqucemyn, a kill by Samantha Perez, and a service ace by Southerland. USAO wrapped up the second set with a score of 25-15, after another five-point run, including plays from Gabrielle Gunnoe, Kalaya Pierce, Southerland, and Perez.
Set three fell into USAO’s hands once again with a score of 25-24. The Drovers started the set with an eight-point run, including five kills from Bruna Duarte, Jacqucemyn, and Calderon. Perez ended the set with her seventh kill of the game.
The Drovers recorded 40 kills, compared to SCU’s 14. Southerland led USAO’s kill column with ten, followed by Jacqucemyn with eight and Perez with seven. Perez hit .875 throughout the match. Perez kept control of the net with six blocks at the net. As a team, USAO recorded 39 aces, with Pierce leading with 21 and Garcia following with 14.
The Drover’s defense held their own as well, recording 48 digs. Trejo led the back row with 13 digs, followed by Andrea Maldonado with ten.
“One thing that the team will be looking to improve on is consistency. Like I said before, we have the talent, and we are capable but being able to play our game and work through adversity, we can be so much collectively,” Garcia said.
USAO has two more games on the road before returning to the Drover Fieldhouse. First on their list is Texas Wesleyan Thursday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. Next, the Drovers will travel to Southwestern Assembles of God University (SAGU) Saturday, Sept. 9 for a 1 p.m. game. Finally, USAO will have their home court advantage once again against Langston Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m.
Emily Loughridge is a third-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
