USAO’s volleyball team (11-13, 7-8 SAC) traveled to Langston University (3-21, 2-14 SAC) (LU) for their second matchup this season Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Drovers wrangled the Lions into submission in their first matchup with a clean 3-0 sweep on their home court. USAO recently returned home with a 3-0 win over Central Christian College of Kansas (1-21, 1-15 SAC), and looked to add another victory to their record.
The Lions came out hungry for revenge as the first set fell in their favor 25-17. USAO jumped to an early lead, but LU caught up quickly. The teams seemed to score in bunches of points before the opposing team caught up again. LU found their rhythm in the final few points with three kills and profited off two attacking errors from the Drovers.
Sophomore Giselle Calderon and junior Laura Barrios Bardi began the second set with two kills to put USAO ahead. Bardi tallied two more aces to put USAO up 5-3. The rallies fell in favor of both teams, with USAO wrapping up the set with three points off kills from junior Jaliyah Cox, Bardi, and Calderon. Their efforts helped USAO take the second set 25-23.
LU rallied again to take set three 25-21. The Lions jumped out to an early 16-5 lead. USAO attempted a comeback, but the steep lead was too much to come back from.
The fourth set fell in USAO’s favor with a dominating 25-13 score. USAO scored in bunches, especially with LU’s errors mounting. Junior Morgan Kobe earned two kills in a row and Bardi had two serving aces to push USAO to 21-11. Senior Victoria Southerland, Kobe, and Cox earned the last three points of the set.
The final set was won by the Drovers 15-12, awarding them their 11th win of the season. USAO swung the momentum towards the middle of the set when five points came in a row from LU’s errors and kills from Kobe and Southerland.
Cox led USAO’s offense with a season-high 19 kills. Bardi also saw a season-high with 11 kills, four digs, and two aces. Kobe and Calderon hit double digits as well with 10 kills each. In a career-high, freshman Bailey Makahununiu recorded 34 assists, 12 digs, and three kills for her fourth double-double this year. On the defensive side, freshman Brynlee Birney carved up the Lions as she earned 27 digs, four assists, and two aces.
The Drovers are currently ranked 8th in the SAC with seven more games this season, and if they remain in their current ranking or higher, then USAO will advance to the SAC Tournament.
USAO is back in action Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at home with their matchup against Mid-America Christian University (14-8, 10-5 SAC).
Emily Loughridge is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
