Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN ANTONIO - Oklahoma City started play in the Volleyesta Tourney in San Antonio as the Stars dropped both matches on Friday.

#3 Eastern Oregon 3, Oklahoma City 1

Set 1: 15-25
Set 2: 25-17
Set 3: 21-25
Set 4: 21-25

STAT OF THE GAME: Grace Smallwood notched her second double-double of the year by tying a season-high of 14 kills to go along with a game-high and season-best 17 digs.

THE RUNDOWN – Both sides started with three straight points each as freshman Erin Mack finished off the three-point stretch with OCU's first kill of the set. Eastern Oregon leaped out to a 10-3 run which caused Kristen Coventon to take her first timeout with the score sitting at 13-6. Oklahoma City cut the deficit to five, however that was the closest the Stars could get in the first set as the Mountaineers were able to grab hold of the win 25-15 which ended up being the largest lead they took. 

Oklahoma City came out firing with four straight points led by senior Rylee Steward who had back-to-back kills in the four-point rally. Eastern Oregon went on its fair share of runs but could only come within one point of the Stars as OCU continued to have an answer for everything. The Stars finished off the second set on a 6-1 run on two kills by Grace Smallwood to set up Gabrielle Fjeseth finishing things off with a kill to win the set 25-17.

Once again Oklahoma City came out hot firing away five straight points right out of the gate on two kills from Rylee Steward and a pair of aces by Jaiden Downey. OCU remained in front at 15-12 until the tides turned for Eastern Oregon as the Mountaineers rallied a 5-1 run to take its first lead of the third set at 17-16. The lead fell back into the hands of Oklahoma City with the help of three kills from Fjeseth however it was Mountaineers who snatched the momentum at the end going on a 4-1 run to close out the third set to win 25-21. 

Trailing 7-6, Eastern Oregon found itself heating up by going on a 7-1 run while stretching its lead out to as much as 18-10 over OCU. Oklahoma City chipped its way back to trail by just five after Smallwood tabbed a pair of kills as well Emma Nickerson getting in on the action. OCU refused to give when the deficit was 23-15 as the Stars rattled off four straight points with three consecutive kills coming by way of Maddie Edwards. Brooke Womack was able to give Eastern Oregon match point at 24-19 but a pair of kills by Smallwood and Nickerson kept Oklahoma City alive. On the ensuing possession the Mountaineers settled things up with one final kill by Madison Morgan to take the fourth set 25-21 and defeat OCU in four sets. 

NOTES

• Oklahoma City secured its season-best in kills (43), assists (37), hitting percentage (.198) and tied for a season-high with 53 digs. 
• With the loss, Oklahoma City remains winless through the first four matches for the first time in the NAIA Era (2006-Present).
• OCU came just two kills shy of the Eastern Oregon total but tallied 17 more digs than the Mountaineers.
• Eastern Oregon delivered 11 aces, the most OCU has allowed since Oct. 20, 2023 against Texas Wesleyan.
• Natalie Adams returned home to San Antonio and put on a show with a game-high 30 assists. Friday's match against Eastern Oregon was the second time in four games Adams has gone for 30 or more assists and the 12th time in her career she has reached that milestone. 
• Rylee Steward tied for the game-high of 3.0 total blocks bringing her season-total to a team-best 9.0. Steward also came away with teams second-most kills on Friday afternoon with nine total which a new season-high for the former all-American.
• Gabrielle Fjeseth entered the match four total kills through the first three games before lighting up with a season-high five kills on a .167 ATT%.
• Joeci Hunt surpassed her season-best in digs which previously was 14 set against Hastings in the season-opener. Hunt tallied the second-most between both teams on Friday with 16 total while dishing out one assists and claiming her first kill of the year.

Our Lady of the Lake 3, Oklahoma City 1

Set 1: 17-25
Set 2: 21-25
Set 3: 25-22
Set 4: 25-23

STAT OF THE GAME: Natalie Adams tacked on 15 assists continuing her streak of double-digit assists in every game she has played in over her career.

THE RUNDOWN: The first set began by going back and forth trading hands before Our Lady of the Lake rattled off four straight points. Oklahoma City turned right back around with three straight points behind a kill from Maddie Edwards and an ace from Grace Smallwood. Despite cutting the deficit to one, the Saints remained in front for the remainder of the way leading by as much as seven points and winning the set 25-17.

OCU jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead after kills by Smallwood and Rylee Steward. The Stars held their lead up until OLLU tied things up at 11 with a 4-0 run and continued its rally to take an 18-13 advantage. The Stars were able to climb their way back with a 5-2 run as Marina Kaladjzic helped ignite Oklahoma City to trail 22-20. The Saint were able to regain the momentum to finish things off with a 3-1 run that allowed them to win the second set 25-21.

Our Lady of the Lake took a 6-3 lead out of the gate and held the advantage until OCU tied it at 19. Down by one, Oklahoma City caught fire with four consecutive points after a handful of attack errors by OLLU and a kill by freshman Bailey Lowder to give OCU a 25-22 third set victory.

In the fourth set, the two sides had it knotted up at 11 before the Saints took off to a 17-13 lead and despite kills from Steward and Kalajdic, Our Lady of the Lake extended its lead to 20-15. The Stars made their way back with the help of another kill by Steward and a kill by Erin Mack to make it 22-21. Tight in the late going with the set tied at 23, OLLU was able to score on the next two possessions to conclude the match with a 25-23 win in four sets. 

NOTES

• Oklahoma City set a season-high with seven aces surpassing its previous high of six which came in afternoon game against Eastern Oregon. 
• Maddie Edwards established season-high with seven kills which tied for the team lead with Rylee Steward.
• After setting a season-high against Eastern Oregon with 16 digs, Joeci Hunt came right back and topped that number with 17 which led the Stars on Friday evening. 
• Steward led the match and set a season-high with 5.0 total blocks.

COMING UP: Oklahoma City will wrap up the Volleyesta Tourney with one more match on Saturday against Cumberland (TN) at 12 PM.

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