SHAWNEE, Okla. – Oklahoma City University fought its way into the Sooner Athletic Conference volleyball championship match with a 30-28, 25-21, 19-25, 13-25, 15-13 victory over Oklahoma Baptist on Friday at the Noble Complex.
The Stars face Wayland Baptist (Texas) for the SAC Tournament title 6 p.m. Saturday at the Noble Complex. OCU (21-11) notched a 23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-14 quarterfinal win over Southern Nazarene earlier Friday.
The SAC Tournament champ gets a berth in the NAIA Championship Opening Round on Nov. 20.
OCU erased 7-3 and 12-8 deficits against Oklahoma Baptist, ranked 20th in the NAIA. Torrie Flynn pounded down a kill to start the Stars' climb out of a 7-3 hole. Kayli Jordan followed with a service ace, then Alex Benbrook and Taylor Rowton teamed on a block. Sabra Clark answered with a kill for Oklahoma Baptist.
Chassie Hamilton, Suyan Leipelt and Skyler Strahm combined for a block to put Oklahoma Baptist up 12-8. OCU scored the next six points.
Flynn and Xiaoting Ma put together a block, then Flynn had a solo block to tie the set 12-12. Ma knocked down a kill, then Victoria Cross' attack found the back end of the court for a kill to bring up match point.
Ma socked down down a kill to seal OCU's win and propel the Stars into the SAC Tournament championship. OCU reached 20 wins for the fourth time in five seasons since the program was restarted.
“It was a nail biter,” OCU coach Jen Gomez said. “It could have gone either way. They gutted it out. They get all the credit.
“This is the kind of battle we knew we were going to get. This is a testament to the heart and will of our team. They are playing for Sarah Ma.”
Ma, a senior from Dalian, China, spearheaded OCU with 23 kills and 19 digs. Benbrook, a junior from Enid, Okla., chipped in 13 kills and five blocks, and Flynn, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., added 13 kills, eight digs and three blocks.
Samantha Ball, a junior from Edmond, Okla., recorded 24 assists and 11 digs, while Danielle Robison, a freshman from Dallas, had 24 assists for the Stars.
Santos picked up 27 digs, and Cross amassed 23 digs.
Sabra Clark dished out 47 assists for Oklahoma Baptist, and Cami Weimer racked up 34 digs. Rupia Inck had 25 kills, 23 digs and four blocks for Oklahoma Baptist, the regular-season SAC champion.
OCU took the first set after six attempts at set point. Flynn's kill brought up set point at 24-21, but Oklahoma Baptist battled back. Clark rejected an OCU attack to give OBU a 25-24 edge.
Tarah Derden nailed a kill to give OBU set point at 27-26, but Robison answered with a kill to tie the set 27-27. Inck's kill tied the set 28-28, and Robison notched another kill to bring OCU set point at 29-28.
In the second set, the Stars scored the final three points of the set. Benbrook and Rowton teamed on a block to spark OCU's run.
Oklahoma Baptist turned the tables by winning the next two sets. The Lady Bison built a 20-9 advantage en route to forcing the fifth set.
“We knew that Rupia is their main threat,” Gomez said. “We did a good job of containing her. OBU came back and made good adjustments.”
Against SNU, Ma had 17 kills and nine digs for the Stars. Santos added 14 kills and 10 digs, while Benbrook contributed 10 kills and six blocks. Ball handed out 25 assists for OCU.
Morgan Loewen notched 15 kills for SNU, and Taryn Steele compiled out 30 assists and 11 digs. The Crimson Storm ended its season 21-16.
Southern Nazarene erased OCU's 12-10 edge in the first set en route to the win. OCU rallied to tie the set 23-23, but Loewen pounded down kills to give SNU the set.
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
At Shawnee, Okla.
Oklahoma Baptist
Friday's Results
Wayland Baptist def. John Brown, 3-1 (25-18, 27-25, 24-26, 25-14)
Oklahoma City def. Southern Nazarene 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-14)
Wayland Baptist def. Lubbock Christian 3-2 (25-19, 19-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-11)
Oklahoma City def. Oklahoma Baptist 3-2 (30-28, 25-21, 19-25, 13-25, 15-13)
Saturday's Match
Championship
Oklahoma City vs. Wayland Baptist, 6 p.m.
