OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Stars volleyball team came away with a four-set victory over Langston on senior day as Catherine Birkhead, Hannah Grundy and Emma Vance were honored in their final home game of the regular season. 

Score     

Oklahoma City 3, Langston 1

• Oklahoma City (12-11, 11-7 SAC)     
• Langston (1-24, 0-17 SAC)     

Match Summary     

Set 1: 25-13 (OCU)    

Set 2: 25-22 (LU)     

Set 3: 25-19 (OCU)

Set 4: 25-14 (OCU)     

Set 1     

Langston opened the match with a 3-2 lead but the Stars powered their way back with three consecutive points that were ignited by a kill from Natalie Adams. OCU was able to stay in front and extended its lead to 17-11 after a pair of kills by Emma Nickerson as well as a kill by senior Emma Vance. The Stars didn't stop there as Oklahoma City closed out the set on an 11-1 run and scored nine straight points as Ruby Kelley, Rylee Steward, and Gabrielle Fjeseth all pitched in with kills to send the Stars on to a 25-13 set one victory. 

Set 2     

The Lions rattled off the first three points of the set however OCU evened it up with three straight of their own off of an ace from Jaiden Downey and kills from Kelley and Adams. With OCU leading 8-5, Langston found its way on a 6-1 run to take an 11-9 lead. Oklahoma City captured that lead right back after four consecutive points and made its way on a 6-1 run after Fjeseth and Hannah Grundy added in kills to help OCU to a 15-12 advantage. Oklahoma City maintained its lead as it got to 21-18 in the Stars favor. However, the Lions were able to claw their way back with a 7-1 run that finished off the set as Lauren Collier of Langston helped lead the charge to give her team a 25-22 win in the second set. 

Set 3      

Langston carried the momentum into the third set by notching the first four points right out of the gate. OCU claimed its first lead after a 6-0 run by the Stars as Kelley tallied four aces and a kill during that stretch. Langston stayed close but never regained the lead as Oklahoma City extended its advantage out to 21-14 after a 5-0 run thanks to three aces by Jaiden Downey. Kelley closed out the set with three more kills to add to her line as the Stars clinched the third set victory 25-19. 

Set 4

OCU jumped out quickly to a 7-3 lead after a 5-1 run headed by a pair of kills by Steward. Oklahoma City began to run away with the set after taking a 17-9 lead after three consecutive kills by Hannah Grundy, Steward, and Kelley. However, the Lions started to scratch their way closer with four straight points to bring the deficit tighter to 17-13. All of a sudden OCU flipped the switch and stormed off on a 11-1 run as Grundy delivered three clutch kills to help bring OCU to a 25-14 win in set four as the Stars closed things out with the final five points of the match. 

Game Notes     

• Oklahoma City dominated Langston in kills with a 53-24 advantage as the Stars claimed its third-highest kill total of the season and finished with a .262 attack percentage.  
• OCU rattled off 10 aces along with seven blocks and 53 digs. 
• Ruby Kelley led the way in kills with 12 and tied a season-high in aces with four. 
• Hannah Grundy had a big senior day in her final regular season match inside Abe Lemons Arena as Grundy set a new season-high with 11 kills. 
• Freshman Jaiden Downey was able to set a new season-high of four aces which included having three straight in the third set. 
• Natalie Adams led the way in assists with 27 total to mark the 21st time this season Adams has gone over 20 assists. The setter also dabbled in the attack game as Adams mustered up a season-high five kills in today's match. 
• OCU clinched the season sweep over Langston on Saturday as the Stars remain a perfect 9-0 against Lions in the all-time series dating back to the first-ever meeting in 2013. 

NEXT GAME     

Oklahoma City will enter a crucial final week of the regular season as the Stars battle Mid-America Christian on the road on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7 PM.