FORT WORTH, TEXAS - The Oklahoma City volleyball team set a new season-high in blocks but take a five-set defeat to number 14 Texas Wesleyan on Friday night. 

Score    

Texas Wesleyan 3, Oklahoma City 2 

• Oklahoma City (10-10, 9-6 SAC)    

• Texas Wesleyan (21-3, 16-0 SAC)    

Match Summary    

Set 1: 27-25 (OCU)   

Set 2: 25-13 (TWU)    

Set 3: 25-23 (OCU)  

Set 4: 25-11 (TWU) 

Set 5: 15-12 (TWU)   

Set 1    

The opening set went back and forth with each squad sharing the lead until Texas Wesleyan put together an 8-2 run to take its biggest lead of the set at 14-8. Ruby Kelley and Emma Nickerson kept the Stars within reach as the set stood in favor of the Rams 19-13. OCU caught fire and made its way back with a 9-1 run as Rylee Steward and Gabrielle Fjeseth picked up kills to bring OCU out in front 22-20. Texas Wesleyan turned right back around scoring four straight points to give the Rams set point. With being a point away from falling in the first set, Oklahoma City stormed right back as Kelley and Nickerson helped close out the set on a 5-1 run for OCU to give the Stars a 27-25 win.  

Set 2    

Texas Wesleyan came out hot right out of the gate in the second set as the Rams opened up with an 8-1 lead over the Stars. OCU was able to claw its way back to within three as Steward notched a kill from the setter Natalie Adams to bring it to 10-7. The Rams remained in control the rest of the way as Texas Wesleyan finished off the set outscoring OCU 15-4 to take a 25-13 victory in set two.  

Set 3     

The Stars jumped out to an early 4-2 lead as Steward delivered two kills with Kelley finishing it off. Texas Wesleyan was able to gain the momentum back with a 10-3 run to go up 12-7 leading into an OCU timeout. Out of the break Oklahoma City scored seven consecutive points as Michela De Stefano added a kill to put the Stars ahead 14-12. Late into the set at 19 all the Stars rattled off three in a row with a kill from Steward and Hannah Grundy. Texas Wesleyan came right back with three of its own to tie it up at 22-22. OCU finished off the set by outscoring the Rams 3-1 with Fjeseth and Kelley picking up kills to conclude the set at 25-23 to give OCU the advantage in the match.  

Set 4 

The Rams took the lead first in the fourth set and never looked back. After OCU tied it 3-3 Texas Wesleyan went off on a 6-0 run to go ahead 9-3. OCU made its way back after taking advantage of offensive errors by the Rams including a block by Kelley and a kill from Fjeseth to bring the Stars to within two. Texas Wesleyan once again went on another one of its streaks and outscored OCU 15-3 which included scoring 10 consecutive points as the Rams ended the set with a 25-11 victory to even things back up. 

Set 5 

After trailing 4-1 early in the final set OCU bounced back with an 8-1 run as Steward picked up a pair of kills along with Fjeseth to give the Stars a 9-5 lead. Unfortunately for Oklahoma City the Rams made their back and tied it at 11. OCU retook the lead on an error by the Rams however Texas Wesleyan rattled off four straight points to close out the final set on an 8-2 run to secure the win in a tough battle between both teams.  

Game Notes    

• OCU tallied a total of 30 kills on a -.023 attack percentage while Texas Wesleyan held the advantage with 52 kills on a .016 hitting percentage.  
• Oklahoma City collected two aces as Texas Wesleyan set an opponent record with 14 aces.  
• OCU set a new season-high in blocks with 24 as Ruby Kelley led all Stars with eight while Rylee Steward collected five and Gabrielle Fjeseth with four.  
• Kelley and Steward led OCU in kills with eight apiece with Fjeseth getting five.  
• Natalie Adams tabbed 26 assists to lead both teams as Adams reached 20 or more assists for the 18th time this season.  
• Kaitlyn Dunlap led the match with 32 digs to set a new season-high after breaking her previous highest total of 29 which came back on Oct. 7 against Wayland Baptist.  
• With the win for Texas Wesleyan the Rams sweep the season series after defeating the Stars previously back on Sept. 16 in four sets.  
• The Stars suffer their fifth straight loss to Texas Wesleyan as the all-time series record moves to 17-13 in favor of OCU. 

NEXT GAME    

OCU volleyball will turn right back around with another big matchup against SAGU on Saturday at 1 PM.