ARKADELPHIA,
Ark. - Oklahoma Baptist battled through five extremely competitive sets but came up short in a 3–2 road loss to Ouachita (27–25, 25–22, 25–22, 25–14, 15–12). The Bison moved to 16–7 overall and 8–3 in Great American Conference play.
The opening frame set the tone for the night, featuring long rallies, standout defensive plays, and powerful swings on both sides.
OBU remained steady under pressure and edged out Ouachita 27–25 to claim the opening set. The Tigers answered in set two, using timely kills to tie the match at one set apiece. The Bison responded in the third, collecting 18 kills on a .190 hitting percentage to retake the lead with a 25–22 victory.
Ouachita then seized the momentum in the fourth, posting its most efficient set of the night with a .441 hitting percentage while limiting OBU to just 12 kills. That forced a fifth set where OBU showed control early, jumping out to a 10–6 lead behind aggressive serving, timely blocking, and a balanced offense.
However, Ouachita had one final push of momentum, closing the match by scoring nine of the final 11 points. That late run proved to be the difference, allowing the Tigers to secure the victory.
Despite the result, multiple Bison delivered standout performances.
Rylee Unruh led the attack with 17 kills and 11 digs, adding another double-double to the season.
Allie Stricker added 13 kills on a .273 hitting percentage, while
Melody Donegan totaled 11 kills.
Mackenzie Frazee anchored the front row defensively with seven block assists to go with nine kills. Setter
Emily Boyer orchestrated the offense with 39 assists and nine digs, while libero
Karsyn Hunter led the defense with 30 digs.
OBU finished with 67 kills, eight aces, 99 digs, and nine blocks in a well-rounded performance.
The Bison return home Thursday, Oct. 30, to host Southeastern Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. inside the Noble Complex.
