ADA, Ohio – East Central earned its first win over Oklahoma Baptist since Sept. 27, 2016 – a span of 13 matches – on Tuesday in Great American Conference play at Kerr Activities Center.
The Bison's record dipped to 6-8, 0-1 in conference play while ECU improved to 5-9 and 1-0.
Leading OBU was
Avery Hellmuth who registered 11 kills and a .500 attack mark. Fellow middle blocker
Jill Leslie added seven kills, three total blocks and six digs while
Abrey Galt handed out 16 assists.
The first set was stupendous for both squads with the Bison and Tigers each hitting above .412. On top of the impressive offense, the scoreboard went back and forth throughout the 33-minute stanza. In fact, there were 14 ties and pair of lead changes.
Audrey Poupard's kill resulted in the last of those ties at 19-all, before ECU closed the set with a 6-1 run. Nyah Walker contributed three of those kills as the Tigers won 25-21.
Leading 1-0, East Central used a fast start in the second en route to doubling its match lead. Behind a raucous student section, the hosts scored six consecutive points the last of which was a block assist by Walker and Kemyra Landry. The green and gold never got closer than four points the rest of the way as it attained a 0.073 attack percentage. On the other side, ECU hit .324.
Third-set action was much like the first. In fact, a Leslie kill tied the set at 19 before another East Central stretch secured a 3-0 sweep. Following a Bison error, Aloni Jordan recorded a solo block to make it 21-19. OBU pulled to within one, 21-20, after ECU erred on an attack, however the last four points went the hosts way.
Walker's kill at the end made it 25-20 and helped ECU earn just its second sweep in program history over OBU and first since 2009.
Next on the schedule for the Bison is another GAC road match at Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.
