CANYON, Texas – Oklahoma City University fell Saturday against NCAA Division II teams West Texas A&M and Southwestern Oklahoma State at the WTAMU Fieldhouse.
The Stars lost straights sets 27-25, 25-21, 25-11 to West Texas A&M in the first match, then dropped the second match 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18 to Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday. OCU, ranked 23rd in NAIA volleyball, went to 11-5.
Tori Leisure, a senior from Haslet, Texas, led the Stars with 11 kills. Heather Watson, a senior from Edmond, Okla., tallied 29 assists for the Stars. OCU went ahead 25-24 late in the first set from a kill and assist from Leisure and Watson, respectively, but the Buffaloes responded with three straight kills by Michaela Montgomery, Elisa Bentsen and Cori Haley to win it. Late in the second set, Stefani Nell, a sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., recorded a kill from an assist by Watson to narrow the gap to 23-21. Montgomery's kill and a service ace by Lexi Davis sealed the set for the Buffaloes. West Texas A&M handled the last set 25-11. Dani Chase, a sophomore from Yukon, Okla., registered 14 digs in the match and a service ace, while Fia Faa'agi, a freshman from Murrieta, Calif., scooped up two blocks and the other only service ace for the Stars. Manon Soraru, a sophomore from Mulhouse, France, posted six kills, two blocks and three digs. Against Southwestern Oklahoma State, Jami-Rae Renwick helped the Stars win the first set 25-23 with five kills. Watson led the Stars with 12 assists in the first set. The Stars took the Bulldogs to the brink in the second frame by pulling within one point 24-23 with kills by Faa'agi, Leisure and an attack error from the Bulldogs. Southwestern Oklahoma State secured the set with a block by Kelsi Schmitberger and Carly Zak off Faa'agi's attack.
OCU again in the third set pressed the Bulldogs up until the last point. Watson set up Renwick with a kill to make the score 24-23 in favor of Southwestern. Paige Holt ended the set for the Bulldogs with a kill from an assist by Kayla Hebert. Southwestern Oklahoma State pulled away in the last set 25-18. Watson led the match with 49 assists and had one service ace. Nell led OCU with 17 kills and had seven digs, while Soraru posted four kills, four blocks and three digs. Renwick notched 12 kills, four digs and two blocks. Chase tallied 14 digs and one service ace while, Shekinah Clarke, a freshman from Waianae, Hawaii, had a service ace and eight digs for the Stars. The Stars continue play Oct. 6 against conference foe St. Gregory's at 7 p.m. in Shawnee, Okla.
