SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist continued its strong start in Great American Conference play, rallying after dropping the opening set to defeat Southwestern Oklahoma State, 3-1 (15-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-15) on Thursday at the Noble Complex.
The Bulldogs (3-10, 1-1 GAC) came out firing in the first set, hitting .275 as Jenna Houk led the way with five early kills to fuel a 25-15 win. Southwestern's defense also stood tall, highlighted by Jada Permenter's match-high 22 digs that helped keep OBU off balance.
However, the Bison (11-4, 3-0 GAC) quickly regrouped behind the offensive firepower of
Rylee Unruh. The junior posted a match-best 22 kills on an efficient .316 hitting percentage, while also adding 10 digs for a double-double. In the second set and leading 16-12, Unruh,
Lauren Safrit and
Emily Boyer provided some points to extend the home team's lead to 20-12. OBU later evened the match at 1-1 winning the second stanza, 25-20.
From there, the Bison controlled the pace. Middle blocker
Mackenzie Frazee was dominant at the net with seven kills on .350 hitting and a team-high six blocks.
Oklahoma Baptist hit .233 in the third set and an impressive .306 in the fourth, using their balance and efficiency to close out the win. Boyer directed the offense with 21 assists and 17 digs, while libero
Karsyn Hunter anchored the back row with a career-high 29 digs.
For SWOSU, Houk finished with 13 kills and 15 digs, while Hailey Smith chipped in nine kills and 12 digs. Setter Cameron Turner tallied 34 assists and 16 digs, but the Bulldogs' offense sputtered after the first set, hitting just .073 for the match.
With the win, OBU stays unbeaten in conference play. The team will next play on Sept. 30 at Northwestern Oklahoma State.
