DURANT – Oklahoma Baptist opened Great American Conference play with a statement victory, sweeping Southeastern Oklahoma State (25-22, 25-16, 25-21) on Tuesday. With the win, the Bison moved their record to 8-2.
OBU controlled much of the match behind an efficient offense, hitting .231 overall compared to the Savage Storm's .104. The Bison tallied 48 kills and 64 digs.
Setter
Emily Boyer ran the offense with 24 assists while adding 11 digs. Plus, freshman
Madi Barnes continued her steady play, contributing 16 assists.
Allie Stricker powered the Bison with 15 kills on a .379 hitting percentage. For Stricker, she's recorded double-digit kills in seven straight contests.
Rylee Unruh followed closely with 10 kills and 16 digs, while middle blocker
Mackenzie Frazee added seven kills. Defensively, libero
Karsyn Hunter anchored the back row with a match-hihg 20 digs, and
Ada Ingvardsen added 10.
At the net, OBU registered four blocks, led by
Lillian Noble's three block assists. The Bison also tallied four service aces.
Set One (25-22): OBU's offense came alive with 17 kills in the opening frame. Stricker and Safrit combined for key kills down the stretch to help the Bison close out a tight, 25-22 win.
Set Two (25-16): The Bison dominated the second set, especially defensively, holding the Savage Storm to just six kills and a .081 hitting percentage. A balanced attack and strong serving pushed OBU ahead 2-0 in the match.
Set Three (25-21): Southeastern built a 16-10 advantage midway through the set, but OBU stormed back with a six-point rally fueled by Boyer's setting and clutch kills from Stricker. The Bison seized control late and closed the sweep with a 25-21 victory.
Oklahoma Baptist returns to action on Friday, Sept. 19 against Emporia State University at the GAC-MIAA Crossover in Shawnee. That match from inside the Noble Complex is slated for a 12:30 p.m. first serve.
