The Basics
Score: Denver 3 – Oral Roberts 1
Records: DU (7-1, 7-1 SL) – ORU (2-8, 2-6 SL)
Location: Cooper Aerobics Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
Box Score
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts volleyball team battled Denver in a tightly-contested, four-set loss (15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 23-25) Monday night at the Aerobics Center.
 
It was the Golden Eagles that came out and took control in the first set taking a 3-1 lead after kills by Aixa Vigil and Sakira LaCour followed by a Jeslyn Spencer service ace. The Pioneers responded with a 6-1 run later in the frame jumping in front 12-7. ORU's deficit stretched as high as seven before Denver closed the set, 25-15.
 
As the home crowd was brought to life with the aid of the ORU men's soccer team, the team on the court responded and fought back from an early 9-4 Pioneer advantage. A 9-2 burst from the Golden Eagles evened the set, 11-11, as Bryanne Soares had two kills and a service ace during the run. After Denver came back from a three-point ORU lead to tie the frame, 19-19, it was the home side that scored four of the next five points and held off the visitors winning 25-23.
 
The Golden Eagles had to rally in the opening stages of the third set and eventually used a 7-2 run building an 18-14 advantage as Jaxie Wakley and Vigil combined for a huge block. The next six points went to the Pioneers and ORU could not stop the drive falling 25-23.
 
The two teams went back-and-forth in the fourth set as the intensity rose before the Golden Eagles recorded five-straight points taking a 15-11 lead forcing Denver into three attack errors. The margin increased to five, 17-12, but the Pioneers turned the momentum behind an 11-2 run and secured the match, 25-23.
 
Inside the Box Score

• LaCour was at her best Monday reaching double-digit kills for the first time this season registering 10 kills and a .346 hitting percentage.
• Libero Sarah Thiessen recorded a match-best 18 digs and equaled her career best totaling nine set assists.
• Kaia Dunford finished with 12 digs and gave ORU seven kills, while Wakley added nine kills and a team-leading four block assists.
• Soares posted 35 set assists and eight digs and helped the Golden Eagles at the net with three block assists.
• Vigil led the team with 12 kills on 35 swings.

 
Up Next
ORU heads to Vermillion, South Dakota, to face the reigning Summit League champion Coyotes March 6 and 7.
 
For the latest information on ORU Volleyball, follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.