Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SHAWNEE – The Bison started off the week's action with a 3-0 win over the Golden Suns but fell short in the Friday night battle against Harding where
Emily Boyer set a new school record for the third time this season.
Thursday night's win over Arkansas Tech continued the longest winning streak for OBU in the 2024 season with six consecutive wins. In the Friday evening match against Harding, the streak came to an end for the Bison with a tough 15-13 final in set five to close out the evening.
Emily Boyer surpassed the school record, previously set by her, with 58 assists on the night.
Bison vs Golden Suns
OBU totaled 64.0 points, 57 digs, 46 kills, 44 assists, 10 blocks for the highest defensive total at home, and eight aces on the evening.
Rylee Unruh led the Bison with 14 kills.
Avery Hellmuth tallied 12 kills and
Jill Leslie added 10.
Emily Boyer gathered a trio of service aces for the home team while Leslie (2) and Hellmuth (1) added to the ace total for the Bison as well. Leslie amassed five blocks for the green and gold with Hellmuth and
Jh'Kyah Head adding three-a-piece. Boyer tallied 42 assists.
Set 1
In the opening frame,
Allie Stricker got things in motion for OBU with a kill to put the home team on the board first. The Golden Suns answered with a kill. Leslie replied with another kill for the Bison and ATU did the same. A kill and an ace from Leslie came next to break the tie. A kill came across for the visitors but a 3-0 run for the Bison put OBU in the lead at 7-3. As the battle continued back and forth with the home team ahead, a four-score run for OBU broke out with three kills from Unruh and a kill from Hellmuth to bring the total to 15-9 for the Bison. The Golden Suns answered with the next four points to shorten the gap to a two-point deficit. The Bison maintained the lead as another four-score run put down the visitors with a 24-18 score. A final kill came across for ATU, but Leslie secured the set for OBU with a kill for a 25-19 final in the first set.
Set 2
The second set saw Arkansas Tech firs to the board with a kill. The next six points tied until a couple of points came in for the visitors to lead 8-6. A kill from Leslie reflected a 9-8 score in favor of the Golden Suns. A big 4-0 run saw ATU jump in front 13-8. A trio of points for OBU shortened the Golden Suns' lead to 16-13. Defensive efforts from Leslie and Stricker paid off in the form of a block, starting a four-score run with two aces from Boyer and an error from the Golden Suns to knot things up at 17 a-piece. The visitors led 19-18 but Unruh got the Bison back in the game with a kill to begin another four-point run to take the lead at 22-19. Arkansas Tech answered with the next three points to tie things back up at 22-22. A final 3-0 run for OBU sealed the deal on the second set with kills from Hellmuth and Unruh and an ace from Head for a 25-22 total.
Set 3
In the third and final stanza, the Bison took the first pair of points to jump ahead early. The next few points tied but as the fourth point came across for the Golden Suns, another couple followed to give the visitors the lead 6-4. OBU came alive, taking the next five points with kills from Unruh (2) and Hellmuth (3) for a 9-6 lead. The home team led the remainder of the set. With a 11-8 total for the Bison, Hellmuth incited another crazy run for OBU, claiming the next eight consecutive points with kills from Stricker (2), Hellmuth (1), Leslie (2), and a block from Boyer for a huge 19-8 lead. The next four points went to ATU to bring their deficit to seven points. As each team inched their way to the finish line, Hellmuth laid down a kill for set point. Boyer and Hellmuth put the final nail in the coffin with a block for a 25-17 set three total, securing the sweep for OBU
Bison vs Harding
In the meeting with the black and gold, OBU totaled 81.0 points, 67 kills, five aces, nine blocks, 65 assists and 101 digs.
Leslie led the green and gold with 18 kills, Head added 17 and Unruh tallied 13. Boyer and Unruh each contributed two aces to lead the Bison. Unruh earned a new career high of five blocks. Leslie (4) and Hellmuth (3) each added to the block total for the home team as well. Boyer broke the school record in assists in a single match for the third time this season with 58 assists on the evening.
Lauren Safrit compiled 21 digs to lead the team. Head and Unruh also added 18 digs each.
Set 1
The first set saw the Bison come in hot, taking the first three points unanswered. With a 7-3 lead for OBU, Harding got to work, taking the next three points for a one-point difference. The green and gold kept the visitors at arm's length with a 3-0 run for a 14-10 lead. With a three-point lead for the home team, Harding caught fire with a six-score run to turn the tables and lead by three at 19-16. The three kill, two block run ultimately did the Bison in, as Harding led the remainder of the set and claimed set one at 25-20.
Set 2
The second stanza opened with back-to-back kills form Leslie. Harding replied with a couple of kills to even the score. OBU took the next three points. The second set saw the home team lead from the third point on. A pair of 3-0 runs for the Bison saw a 13-8 lead over Harding. As each team climbed the ranks, on four separate occasions, OBU tallied two points for Harding's one point, which ultimately secured the set for the green and gold. Hellmuth, Stricker and Leslie added the final kills for a 25-17 Bison win in set two.
Set 3
Set three opened with Head at the helm laying down a kill to put the home team on the board first. Leslie added another kill for the Bison for a 2-0 lead. Harding and OBU piled it on point for point. As the green and gold led 8-4, four consecutive kills from Harding tied things up at 8-8. A three-point run put the Bison back up at 11-8. OBU led by three but the black and gold got to work, securing the next five points for a two-point lead at 14-12. Stricker came in with a kill and Boyer added an ace to tie things back up. A back-and-forth dance saw another tie at the 16
th point until Unruh came alive to start a three-score run to put the Bison back in front at 19-16. From there, the home team controlled the set with Unruh, Leslie and Hellmuth getting things done for OBU for a 26-19 final in set three.
Set 4
The fourth set welcomed a big entrance from the green and gold, taking the first four points. OBU led 11-9 until Harding found some fight with a 3-0 run to take the lead by a lone point at 12-11. All knotted up at 13 a-piece, the visitors continued to challenge the green and gold with another four-score run for a 17-13 total. The Bison fought back with a block from Unruh and Leslie and a kill from Head bringing the total to 18-17. Harding continued to push on, taking the next three points to lead 21-17. Head added a kill for OBU and a block from Boyer and Hellmuth marked the final points for the Bison in set four. Harding took the final four points for a 25-19 final in the fourth set.
Set 5
Set five was every bit of a battle from both sides. Stricker came in with the first point for OBU. A block from Stricker and Leslie brought the total to two. Leslie added the third point to see the Bison up 3-0. Prior to the eighth point, the set saw the home team in the lead. Harding took the lead with a three-score run for a 9-8 total. The next five points tied, seeing both team with 13 points each. Unruh came in with a kill for OBU for the final shot for the green and gold. A pair of Harding kills deflated OBU's hopes of continuing the winning streak. The Bison didn't go down easy with a tough and telling 15-13 set five final as proof of the green and gold's resilience.
Next Up
Next up for the Bison is a Thursday evening match at Southeastern. The 6 p.m. meeting will take place on Halloween, Oct. 31st, in Durant, Oklahoma.
