OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City volleyball team found revenge on John Brown by the Golden Eagles in four sets on Friday night while Ruby Kelley reached 1000 kills for her career.

Oklahoma City 3, John Brown 1

Set 1: 25-14 (OCU)
Set 2: 25-20 (OCU)
Set 3: 25-17 (JBU)
Set 4: 25-19 (OCU)

STAR OF THE SHOW: Ruby Kelley needed 12 more kills entering Friday night's contest to reach 1000 for her career. Kelley tallied exactly 12 on the night along with 10 digs to earn her sixth double-double of the season while adding five blocks, her second-highest total of the season. 

THE RUNDOWN

Set 1
Oklahoma City came out with aggression finding a way to string along an 8-1 run as freshman duo Erin Mack and Grace Smallwood collects two kills each while Michela De Stefano added a kill and two aces capping off the Stars run. OCU found its biggest lead grow up to nine after Ruby Kelley slammed one down. John Brown went on to score the next three but the Golden Eagles would only score once more as a result of the Stars scoring the final five points on five kills as Mack handed out three more to kills leading OCU to a first set win. 

Set 2
Oklahoma City took a 10-6 lead as De Stefano opened up with two straight kills before Rylee Steward gave OCU its biggest margin of four points. John Brown came right back with four consecutive points of its own on two kills by Ella Yarborough. OCU fired right back with four scores in a row as Mack and Kelley continued to lead the attack. JBU was able to cut the lead down to one but the Stars fight was shown as Maddie Edwards joined the mix to help Oklahoma City close out the second set with a 25-20 victory.

Set 3
John Brown opened the third set like no other as the Golden Eagles scored the first 10 points of the third set before Kelley broke the drought getting the Stars on the board for the first time. Oklahoma City battled its way back with a 6-1 run cutting the deficit to four behind two kills apiece by Smallwood and Mack. John Brown was able to go and extend its lead as OCU only scored on back-to-back possessions one time as JBU remained alive with a 25-17 win. 

Set 4
John Brown was off to a strong start by jumping out to a 6-1 lead on kills from Emma DeSanti and Taylor Golmen. Oklahoma City turned right back around with four straight of its own as Mack and Steward racked up a kill each. Oklahoma City grew its way to a 17-12 lead after an 8-2 run by the Stars as Kelley tallied three kills during that span which gave her kill number 1,000 for her career. JBU began to inch closer cutting the deficit to just two before De Stefano helped close it out with two kills as an attack error by the Golden Eagles sealed the deal giving Oklahoma City a 25-19 decision. 

Game Notes

• Oklahoma City brings its record to 8-10 overall and 8-4 in conference play. 
• Oklahoma City held a 53-41 kill advantage reaching its second-highest number of kills on the season.
• Freshman Grace Smallwood notched her fifth double-double of the season by tying a game-high 12 kills while tying a team-high of 15 digs. 
• Michela De Stefano set a season-high nine kills while reaching a career-high four aces after surpassing her previous number of three set last season on Sept. 8, 2023 against Southwestern Christian. 
• Natalie Adams collected a game-high 22 assists making it the eighth time this season Adams has gone for 20 or more assists in a match. Adams earned her fourth double-double of the season after notching 14 digs, her second-highest total of the season
• Kaitlyn Dunlap tied Smallwood for the team-high of 15 digs which is her 11th time with double-digit digs this season. 
• Erin Mack set a new season-high with 11 kills, her first time reaching double-digits after passing her previous high of seven set against Southwestern Christian on Sept. 17. 
• Friday night's game was the third time this season a Star has reached the 1,000 milestone (Kaitlyn Dunlap - Digs, Natalie Adams - Assists, Ruby Kelley - Kills).
• After falling in four in sets to John Brown on the road, Oklahoma City gets back right to even up the season-series while moving the all-time series record 32-14 in favor of OCU.

Up Next
Oklahoma City gets right back to it on Saturday afternoon as the Stars host College of the Ozarks inside Abe Lemons Arena slated for 1:00 PM.

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