SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Oklahoma City University concluded its season with a 25-9, 25-15, 25-17 loss to Central Methodist (Mo.) on Thursday in the NAIA volleyball championships at the Tyson Events Center.
OCU finished the season 31-6. The Stars went to 0-3 in NAIA Championships pool play in 2018.
Oklahoma City won an NAIA Championship Opening Round match, reached 30 victories for the fourth time in program history, advanced to the NAIA Championships for the fourth time and took its third consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2018.
OCU coach Santiago Restrepo will open 2019 looking for his 400th career victory. Restrepo owns a 399-264 record in 21 years as a head coach at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Southern Mississippi and East Stroudsburg (Pa.).
Lauren Hermes, a junior from The Colony, Texas, provided the Stars with 13 digs, while Isabel Harwell, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., posted 11 digs.
OCU's Taylor Horton, a sophomore from Edmond, Okla., rang up 20 assists, 10 digs and five kills, and Lacy Beeler, a sophomore from Jenks, Okla., turned in eight kills and seven digs. Ella Lofton, a sophomore from Cedar Park, Texas, and Hanna Nicholson, a junior from Choctaw, Okla., each added five kills.
Grace Stumbaugh topped 21st-ranked Central Methodist (32-8) with 10 kills and seven blocks.