Career-best efforts were in abundance on Friday night, propelling Oral Roberts University to a 3-2 win over South Dakota State University. The win is the seventh straight for the Golden Eagles (14-4, 7-1 Summit League).

The victory, combined with North Dakota State's 3-0 drubbing of Southern Utah, keeps ORU tied with the Bison at the top of the Summit League table, at 7-1, and sets up a first place battle Saturday night in Fargo, N.D.

Leading the charge for ORU was junior Elizabeth McVicker, whose 20 kills were a career high. Libero Bruna Silva added a career-best 38 digs, while Laura Taylor's 55 assists matched a personal best.

Three other Golden Eagles finished with double-digit kills, including Jessica Pancratz, with 12. Olivia Ophus added 11, along with 16 digs, while Joana Gruber finished with ten kills.

The Jackrabbits (11-10, 3-5 Summit League) have now lost six straight matches. Kelly Herrmann led SDSU with 16 kills.

The Golden Eagles manhandled SDSU in the opening set, taking the victory by a double-digit margin. Sheina Fernandes put ORU ahead, 8-2, with a service ace, and a Pancratz kill pushed the lead to ten, at 23-13. Finally, Ophus ended the frame with a kill to give ORU the 25-15 win.

The second game was far closer, as both teams battled to take control. A kill by McVicker broke a 12-all tie, giving the Golden Eagles a lead, and two straight kills from Gruber gave ORU a late 22-20 edge. After the Jacks forced extra points, Taylor finally gave the Golden Eagles a 26-24 win with a service ace.

ORU took an early 6-2 lead in the third set, and Sheera Sirola's team looked poised for a sweep. But the home team rallied back, taking a 9-8 lead on a kill from Kaitlin Klingemann. The SDSU lead was as high as five points, but a McVicker kill had ORU two points from victory, tied at 23-23. SDSU retook the lead on a Kelli Fiegen kill, however, and won the game, 25-23.

After Fernandes gave ORU a 10-8 lead with another kill, SDSU wrestled away control of the fourth game with an 8-0 run to take a 16-10 advantage. The set was never close again, and a kill by Kelsey Hansen gave SDSU the 25-18 victory, forcing a fifth set.

The final set was close in the early stages, but ORU took their final lead at 6-5 on an error by Klingemann. The point was part of a 5-0 that ended with a Gruber ace, making the lead 9-5. Finally, Ophus saved the near-disaster for ORU with one final kill, clinching the victory with a 15-10 final game win.

Adding a resurgent performance for ORU was junior Tatum Fredeen. Last season's team leader in kills finished with six kills on the night in just eight attempts.

ORU will need more efforts like that one in tomorrow's first place showdown against North Dakota State. The Bison have beaten the Golden Eagles in seven straight meetings. First serve in Fargo is scheduled for 7 pm.