OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City volleyball team led Friday night's match inside the Gaulke Activity Center in five of the six main statistical categories as the Stars can;t hold on falling to Mid-America Christian in five sets. 

Mid-America Christian 3, Oklahoma City 2

Set 1: 25-13 (OCU)
Set 2: 25-17 (MACU)
Set 3: 25-23 (MACU)
Set: 4: 25-21 (OCU)
Set: 5: 15-8 (MACU)

STAT OF THE MATCH: Ruby Kelley notched her eight double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs while tying her season-high in blocks with a game-high of eight. 

THE RUNDOWN

Set 1
After a Ruby Kelley kill to tie the match up 4-4, Oklahoma City went off an 8-1 run as Maddie Edwards delivered a pair of kills to take the lead which lasted for the remainder of the set. Oklahoma City scored nine of the next 11 points Rylee Steward helped close out the set with a kill and a block on back-to-back possessions as OCU closed things out on a 4-1 run to take the opening set 25-13. 

Set 2
OCU continued its strong play with a 7-2 run in the beginning of the set with the freshmen duo of Grace Smallwood and Erin Mack helped supply the Stars with one kill apiece. Mid-America Christian fired off the next five points as Lena Stockhammer gave the Evangels two of the four kills during the five point stretch. MACU wasn't done finding itself rattling off eight points in a row in the midst of another big run at 9-1 as the Evangels took their biggest lead at 19-11. Oklahoma City refused to go away by scoring the next four straight points as Michela De Stefano and Mack both tabbed a pair of kills to cap off a 5-1 Stars run. Trailing by four Oklahoma City could only score one more time on another Kelly kill before MACU finished the set on a 5-1 run winning 25-17.

Set 3
Neither side could take more than a two point lead through the first 12 possessions before Oklahoma City seperated themsevles wjtb a 6-1 run on two aces by Smallwood. Mid-America Christian regained the lead with a big 9-1 run rattling off seven in a row to go ahead 21-15. Per usual, Oklahoma City showed its fight by using a 5-1 run late in the set that cut the deficit to one as De Stefano and Steward slammed down two each. MACU was able to finish off the intense third set after an attacking error on Oklahoma city as the Stars fell by two. 

Set 4
The lead traded sides back and forth early on as neither team could gain anymore than a two point lead. Oklahoma City snatched the momentum with an 8-1 run as De Stefano added a kill and an ace during that span.Taking its biggest lead at 20-10 Oklahoma City was able to maintain the lead the rest of the set despite Mid-Ameirca Christian coming all the way back to cut it to three before an OCU swat by Kelley and Marina Kalajdzic secured the 25-21 victory sending it to a fifth set. 

Set 5
Back-to-back kills by Kalajdzic and Smallwood helped the Stars open up with a 3-1 lead. Mid-American Christian regained the lead with a 4-1 of its own holding no more than a two point lead as it got to 10-8. Miriam Nardi for Mid-America Christian was able to lead the Evangels to a 6-1 run rattling off five consecutive points leading to MACU winning the set 15-8. 

Game Notes

• Oklahoma City led in five of the six statistical categories ntoching its third highest dig total of the season with 92.
• The Stars have their four game winning snapped and move to 14-12 on the year with a 14-6 SAC reord.
• Natalie Adams tabs her sixth double-double of the season with her third most digs on the season with 13 while owning a team-high 24 assists. 
• Oklahoma City had four players with double-digit digs as Kaitlyn Dunlap led the team with 18 while Smallwood followed in behind with 17.
• OCU dropped its sixth straight match to MACU going back to the beginning of the 2022 season however the Stars lead the all-time series 32-8 dating bac kto 2006.

Up Next
Oklahoma City returns home for the final weekend of the regular season as the Stars take on Texas Wesleyan Friday night at 6:00 PM inside Abe Lemons Arena.

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