OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University finished its season-opening weekend 1-2 as College of the Ozarks (Mo.) edged the Stars 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 29-27, 15-9 on Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena in the OCU volleyball classic.

Xiaoting Ma, a senior from Dalian, China, spearheaded the Stars with 18 kills, 21 digs and four blocks, while Alex Benbrook, a junior from Enid, Okla., added 14 kills and five blocks.

Torrie Flynn chipped in 10 kills and four blocks, and Raissa Santos recorded eight kills and 25 digs. Samantha Ball rang up 48 assists, 18 digs and two solo blocks for OCU.

Kayli Jordan racked up 22 digs, and Danielle Robison picked up 21 digs for the Stars. OCU had 12 team blocks.

Ozarks (5-0) built an 8-2 advantage in the fifth set en route to the win. Flynn served up an ace to cut the Stars' deficit to 9-6. Ozarks put away OCU on Kinsey Palmer's kill.

In the first set, OCU came back from a 23-21 deficit to win. Ma nailed three kills to clinch the set for the Stars.

Benbrook provided the clinching point in the second set with a solo block. Ozarks overcame a 10-8 deficit to take the third set.

In the fourth, OCU rallied from a 24-21 deficit using two Ma kills and a Ball solo block. OCU got to set point once at 26-25. The Stars fought off set point three times before succumbing on Veronica Barrientos' block.

OCU meets Central Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at Abe Lemons Arena.
OCU-Ozarks stats