Box Score SHAWNEE – OBU Volleyball took on the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, ending in a 3-2 loss for the green and gold Tuesday evening.
The Bison went west for a midweek meeting with the SWOSU Bulldogs. In the 2024 Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Bulldogs were picked to finish second, right after Oklahoma Baptist Volleyball. The matchup in Weatherford was the second conference match for OBU and the first for SWOSU. The Bulldogs defeated the Bison in an intense five set match.
The green and gold took the opening set 27-25. SWOSU turned things on in set two for a 25-8 final. The third set went to the Bison with a 25-22 total and the final pair of sets went to the home team with a 25-21 finish in set four and a 15-9 fifth set.
OBU Volleyball compiled 52 kills, 86 digs, 49 assists, seven blocks and four aces.
Aubree McCann led the Bison with 15 kills.
Avery Hellmuth added 12 kills and
Jill Leslie tallied 10. Leslie totaled four blocks for the green and gold.
Rylee Unruh contributed three blocks and Hellmuth added a pair as well.
Emily Boyer amassed 41 assists.
Lauren Safrit achieved a new career high in digs with 21 to lead the team while Unruh tallied 17 digs for the Bison. Hellmuth, Leslie and Boyer each contributed aces.
Set 1
The opening frame saw a bit of a slow start for OBU after a 6-0 run put SWOSU up 8-2. Unruh broke the Bulldogs' streak with a kill. The home team added another point in the form of a kill, but
Jh'Kyah Head started a three-score run for the green and gold with kills from Unruh and Hellmuth. With a 11-7 lead for SWOSU, a service error from the home team began another 3-0 run for OBU to make it a one-point match at 11-10. As a kill from McCann tallied point 11 for the visitors, the Bulldogs took the next three points for a four-point lead at 15-11. With an 18-14 score in favor of SWOSU, an error from the Bulldogs etched in the 15
th point for OBU with four more to follow, tying things up at 18-18. At a one-point deficit, McCann sprung back into action with a kill to start another run for the Bison to take their first lead of the set. Kills from McCann and Leslie paired with an error from SWOSU made for a 23-20 score to put OBU up. Leslie added point 24 for OBU. A three-score run tied things up at 24-24. McCann retook the lead but the Bulldogs added another to retie the set at 25 a-piece. Head tallied the 26
th point for the Bison and an error from the home team closed out the set at 27-25.
Set 2
The Bulldogs opened up the second set securing the first three consecutive points. McCann got back to business with a kill to put the green and gold on the board. The home team broke out with an 11-0 run taking the score from 9-6 to 20-6. McCann tacked on the last kill for OBU and an error from SWOSU closed out the scoring for the visitors. The next five consecutive points went to the Bulldogs for a 25-8 finish.
Set 3
Set three saw the home team take the board first. Leslie came in hot for the Bison with a kill to keep the green and gold in the game. With the Bison down by one at 4-3, OBU took the next three points to secure their first lead of the set at 6-4. The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit until a kill from the home team tied things up at 8-8. A pair of errors from SWOSU saw OBU jump out with a two-point lead, but the Bulldogs got right back to work with a pair of points to tie things back up. Head laid down a kill and an error from the home team put the Bison back in the lead by a couple. The Bulldogs retied the score at 14-14. Hellmuth got things back in motion for OBU, inciting a four-score run. A pair of errors and an ace from Hellmuth brought the total to 18-14 for the green and gold. The back-and-forth battle continued but another Bulldog attack error put the final nail in the coffin for SWOSU for a 25-22 final in set three.
Set 4
The fourth set opened with a pair of points right off the bat for the home team. A couple of 2-0 runs put the Bison at a four-point deficit at 7-3. As the Bulldogs tallied double digits, McCann started a three-score run to make the score 10-8. An attack error from SWOSU brought the visitors to double digits and an ace from Leslie made it a one-point set. Each team claimed a pair of points to make for a 14-13 score for the home team. As a kill from the Bulldogs brought their total to 15, a block from Unruh and Hellmuth sent the Bison on another 3-0 run with an ace from Unruh and another block from Hellmuth to take the lead at 16-15. SWOSU put up another pair of points to retake the lead. The Bison got back to business taking the next two points, but the Bulldogs replied with another 3-0 run for a 21-19 lead. Leslie put up the final point for OBU with a kill, but the next three points went to the Bulldogs to secure the fourth set at 25-21.
Set 5
Boyer tabbed the first point for the Bison with an ace. SWOSU replied with two back-to-back kills to take the lead and a pair of OBU errors made for a 4-1 lead for the home team. With a 5-3 score, the Bulldogs caught some wind with a three-score run to bring the total to 8-3. Each team took their turn going point for point but ultimately the early lead carried the Bulldogs to victory as Head laid down the final kill for OBU and a Bison service error saw the home team finish on top.
Next up
The green and gold will be back in Noble on Thursday evening for another conference matchup against the Southern Nazarene Storm at 7 p.m.
