SHAWNEE, Okla. – Oklahoma City University gutted out a 24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 13-25, 16-14 triumph over College of the Ozarks (Mo.) after defeating Friends (Kan.) 25-16, 25-21, 25-16 on Friday in the Oklahoma Baptist volleyball tournament at the Noble Complex.

The Stars avenged a five-set loss to College of the Ozarks on Aug. 28. OCU improved to 7-4.

Against Ozarks, the Stars dug themselves out of a 14-12 hole in the fifth and decisive set. Kinsey Palmer had a kill to give College of the Ozarks match point.

Raissa Santos kept OCU alive with a kill, then Torrie Flynn and Taylor Rowton teamed on a block to tie the set 14-14. Kayli Jordan served up an ace to give OCU match point, then Xiaoting Ma clinched the win with a kill.

OCU rallied from 5-0 and 7-2 deficits in the fifth frame to win.

“For us to come back, that was a testament to our team's determination and spirit,” OCU coach Jen Gomez said. “That was a real fight. We stepped up our game against College of the Ozarks.”

Flynn and Rowton combined on a block that started a run of three consecutive OCU points to cut Ozarks' lead to 7-5. The Stars used another three-point run to cut their deficit to 13-12 as Flynn and Santos had back-to-back kills.

Ma, a senior from Dalian, China, spearheaded the Stars with 16 kills, 22 digs and two blocks. Rowton, a junior from Edmond, Okla., posted 12 kills, five digs and three blocks, while Alex Benbrook, a junior from Enid, Okla., compiled 12 kills and three blocks.

Samantha Ball, a junior from Edmond, Okla., had 32 assists and 11 digs, while Danielle Robison added 21 assists, two aces and seven digs for OCU. Victoria Cross chipped in 20 digs.

Flynn, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., led OCU with seven blocks – two solo – to go with eight kills. OCU accumulated 11 team blocks.

“Taylor and Alex really held their own,” Gomez said. “We really adjusted well defensively and picked up their tips.”

Against Friends, Ma recorded 15 kills, 12 digs and three blocks, while Benbrook added nine kills and two blocks.

Cross, a junior from Oklahoma City, put together 16 digs. Robison, a freshman from Dallas, had 22 assists and six digs, and Ball added 17 assists and five digs. Santos contributed seven kills, nine digs and two blocks. The Stars had seven blocks against Friends.

OCU meets Dallas Christian at 10 a.m. Saturday in Shawnee, Okla.
OCU-Friends stats
OCU-Ozarks stats