The Basics
Score: Denver 3 – Oral Roberts 2
Records: DU (6-1, 6-1 SL) – ORU (2-7, 2-5 SL)
Location: Cooper Aerobics Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
Box Score
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts volleyball team pushed Denver to five sets before falling (25-19, 20-25, 20-25, 25-20, 11-15) Sunday afternoon at the Cooper Aerobics Center.
 
The Golden Eagles hit .333 in the opening set jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the contest as Aixa Vigil, Jeslyn Spencer and Kaia Dunford combined for 10 kills. Denver built a 5-1 advantage scoring the first four points of the match before ORU rallied with a 4-0 burst taking a 10-8 edge. The home side stretched the margin to four and cruised to the set win, 25-19.
 
ORU out-hit the Pioneers by nearly 100 points in the second set, but could not overcome eight service errors as the visitors fought back to even the match claiming the frame, 25-20. Denver led for almost the entire set after taking a 6-3 advantage. The Golden Eagles closed the gap to 12-10 behind a 3-0 run out of a timeout and made a late push to get within one, 20-19, but the Pioneers scored five of the final six points.
 
After Denver pulled away in the third set, 25-20, ORU battled back from an early 8-5 deficit in the fourth set registering a 10-2 run to take control of the frame. The Golden Eagles shut down any chance of the Pioneers coming back through timely offense and defense by the entire lineup and eventually put away the set, 25-20, on blocks from Jaxie Wakley/Bryanne Soares and Wakley/Vigil around a Soares service ace.
 
In yet another fifth set during league play, it was ORU that scored the first point and held a 2-1 cushion before Denver stormed in front with the next three points. The Golden Eagles used a 3-0 push to even the frame, 9-9, but the visitors closed the match winning six of the last eight points.
 
Inside the Box Score

• The Golden Eagles posted a .295 hitting percentage for the match, 75 points higher than Denver's .220.
• Vigil led all players with 18 kills behind a .516 hitting percentage and added 12 digs for her sixth double-double in seven outings.
• Wakley tallied 13 kills, five blocks and four digs, while Spencer finished with 12 kills, five digs and four blocks.
• Thiessen paced all Golden Eagles with 17 digs as the redshirt junior continues to post double-digit digs in every contest this year.
• Soares recorded 47 set assists and led the team with four service aces.
• ORU played its fourth-straight, five-set match and sixth of seven in Summit League play falling to 1-5 in those outings.

 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles close the series against Denver Monday night at 7 p.m. with free, live video coverage available on ORUSN.
 
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