The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 0 – Kansas City 3
Records: ORU (10-5, 4-2 SL) – KC (13-7, 4-2 SL)
Box Score
Location: Swinney Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
 
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oral Roberts and Kansas City put on a show in Summit League volleyball Saturday afternoon, but the Golden Eagles suffered a road setback in three sets (20-25, 23-25, 24-26) from Swinney Center.
 
As anticipated, every point was a battle from the start as the teams traded points all the way to a 9-9 tie in the opening frame. The Roos broke through scoring six of the next seven points for a 15-10 cushion. Aixa Vigil and Sakira LaCour buried consecutive swings and the Golden Eagles closed the deficit to 18-14 and stayed within striking distance as Rami Mose and Bryanne Soares added kills, but the home side finished the set, 25-20.
 
ORU erased a 3-0 start by the Roos in the second set posting five-straight points behind the play of Trinity Freeman as the freshman had two kills and a block with LaCour in the run. The Golden Eagles added another three-point burst for a 10-7 lead forcing KC into a timeout and stretched it to a 14-8 advantage thanks to a Vigil and Jaxie Wakley block. The defensive effort of Wakley helped ORU again as the sophomore came up with two, huge digs allowing Soares to get a kill making it a 17-10 lead. The Roos fought back scoring the next five points and got the benefit of an overturned call as they continued the run for a 21-18 margin and ended the stanza, 25-23.
 
A Kaia Dunford kill tied the score, 4-4, in the third set and Wakley dropped in a kill for a 10-10 deadlock. The Roos posted three-consecutive points and added another 4-0 run pushing their lead to 19-13 as ORU called a timeout. The Golden Eagles regrouped during the break and tallied the next eight points to climb back into the set and took a 21-19 advantage getting three kills and three blocks from LaCour during the run. The teams traded points and tie scores until the home side broke a 24-24 score with a block and a kill to seal the win.
 
Inside the Box Score

• The Golden Eagles got nine kills from both LaCour and Vigil to pace the offense, while Dunford (7), Soares (5) and Wakley (5) provided support. Five of LaCour's kills came in the third set and the junior posted a .400 hitting percentage overall.
• LaCour and Vigil were a force at the net as well totaling five blocks apiece leading ORU to a 9-4 advantage in blocks.
• Soares nearly totaled a double-double in the first set alone with nine set assists and eight digs. The sophomore finished with a 29-assist and 15-dig effort.
• Sarah Thiessen had eight digs in the first set alone on her way to a match-high 21 for the afternoon to go with seven set assists. It was her sixth match this season of 20 or more digs.

 
Up Next
ORU looks to bounce back when it hits the road again heading to Summit League newcomer Oct. 14 facing St. Thomas for the first time in program history.
 
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