OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University edged Southwestern Christian 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-6 on Tuesday at Abe Lemons Arena.
The Stars tallied nine of the last 10 points in the fifth set to grab the victory. Oklahoma City went to 8-1, 4-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference volleyball.
Lacy Beeler crushed three kills, while Marijana Bjelobrk came through with two during OCU's match-finishing 9-1 run. Isabel Harwell notched an ace to give the Stars a 10-5 lead. Beeler teamed with Kenady Bertling on a block to put OCU up 13-6.
Bertling combined with Ella Lofton on a block, then added a solo block to provide Oklahoma City with a 4-1 fifth-set edge.
The Stars produced season highs with 110 digs and 15.5 blocks. Lauren Hermes, a junior from The Colony, Texas, amassed 33 digs for the 15th 30-dig performance by a Star. She became the first from OCU to record 30 digs since Dani Chase on Oct. 3, 2017 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State. Bertling, a freshman from Baytown, Texas, topped OCU with eight blocks to go with nine kills.
Beeler, a sophomore from Jenks, Okla., totaled 15 kills, 17 digs and six blocks, and Bjelobrk, a junior from Belgrade, Serbia, turned in 15 kills, 15 digs and three blocks for the Stars.
Taylor Horton, a sophomore from Edmond, Okla., provided OCU with 32 assists, 10 digs, six kills and three aces, while Sophia Salak, a freshman from McKinney, Texas, tacked on 14 assists and 11 digs. Lofton, a sophomore from Cedar Park, Texas, added 13 kills, seven digs and four blocks, and Isabel Harwell, a freshman from Edmond, Okla., scooped up 12 digs for the Stars.
Oklahoma City won a match decided in five sets for the first time since Oct. 15, 2016 at Texas Wesleyan.
The Stars take on Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) at 7 p.m. Friday in Waxahachie, Texas.

30-Dig Club
Oklahoma City University
36—Dani Chase vs. Midland, Sept. 1, 2017
34—Meghann Turner at Lubbock Christian, Sept. 23, 2006; Shelbey Veselka at Wayland Baptist, Sept. 22, 2007; Shelbey Veselka at Southern Nazarene, Oct. 14, 2008
33—Nicole Gruenbacher at Southern Nazarene, Oct. 25, 2007; Lauren Hermes vs. Southwestern Christian, Sept. 11, 2018; Shelbey Veselka vs. Evangel, Sept. 26, 2008
32—Danielle Robison vs. McPherson, Sept. 1, 2012; Danielle Robison vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God, Sept. 30, 2013
31—Kelley Shiels vs. Evangel, Sept. 6, 2014
30—Dani Chase vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State, Oct. 4, 2017; Victoria Cross vs. Sterling, Sept. 10, 2011; Nicole Gruenbacher vs. Texas-Brownsville, Nov. 17, 2006 in NAIA Region VI Tournament at Houston; Maryna Verbovetska vs. John Brown, Oct. 4, 2007; Maryna Verbovetska vs. Lubbock Christian, Nov. 10, 2007 in Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament at Plainview, Texas