NORMAN, Okla. – In its first of two consecutive matches against power conference opponents, the East Texas A&M University volleyball team lost to Oklahoma 3-0 (22-25, 21-25, 13-25) on Tuesday evening at the McCasland Field House.
The Lions finished with 31 kills and a .196 hitting percentage, while Oklahoma totaled 42 kills and hit .245. East Texas A&M falls to 6-4 on the season, while the Sooners are 5-2.
Early in the match, the Lions traded points led 6-4 after an Oklahoma service error before the Sooners scored four straight points to move in front 8-6.
Ariana Brown (Conroe) and
Samantha Mosley (Atlanta, Ga.) helped the Lions stay even through 12-12, but Oklahoma built a 15-12 lead and later moved ahead 19-16. The Lions came back to tie the set at 19-19, then Mosley's kill tied it again at 20-20 before Brown's service ace gave the Lions a 21-20 lead. Mosley put the Lions back ahead 22-21, but the Sooners closed the set with four straight kills to take it 25-22.
After Brown's ace tied the second set at 2-2, Oklahoma went ahead to build an 11-5 lead. The Lions trailed 16-7 before Mosley had two kills and Brown added a service ace during a four-point stretch that cut the margin to 16-11. OU moved back ahead 20-13, but the Lions won the next six points behind a kill from
Ellie Thurman (Henderson, Nev.), kills by
Haley Mullaney (Decatur) and Brown, and two blocks involving
Sabine Wenzel (Melrose, Mass.) to get within 20-19. The Sooners held off the push, taking four of the final six points and closing the set 25-21.
The Lions broke up Oklahoma's 4-0 start in the third set with a Mosley kill from Mullaney and an Oklahoma attack error, and Mosley added two more early kills as the Lions stayed within 7-5. The Sooners created separation with a six-point stretch to move ahead 13-5. Brown had two kills and
Skylar Lambert (Aledo) added one as the Lions got to 15-9, but Oklahoma won the next three. After
Allie Ihloff (Tulsa, Okla.) and Mosley combined on a block and Wenzel and Lambert added another late block, Oklahoma reached match point on a service error and finished the third 25-13.
Brown led the Lions with 12 kills, four service aces, while adding nine digs. Brown recorded a season-high total of four serve aces. Mosley finished with 11 kills and hit a season best .529. She has also recorded at least 11 kills in consecutive matches for the second time this season.
Jade Washington (Waco – Midway) collected 18 digs, she has recorded at least 18 digs in two consecutive matches. Mullaney posted a team-high 16 assists with five digs and two blocks. Wenzel has now collected four total blocks in two consecutive matches.
UP NEXT
The Lions head to Denton for the UNT Invitational and face West Virginia on Thursday at 4 p.m.
-ETAMU-
