The Basics
Score: South Dakota State 0 – Oral Roberts 3
Records: SDSU (6-11, 6-10 SL) – ORU (3-13, 3-11 SL)
Location: Cooper Aerobics Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
Box Score
 
TULSA, Okla. – Playing on its home court for the final time this season, the Oral Roberts volleyball team came out with a vengeance and swept South Dakota State (25-22, 25-20, 26-24) Saturday night from Cooper Aerobics Center.
 
The Golden Eagles reversed the script from the previous night and fought back late in every set to earn the series split with the Jackrabbits. ORU overcame a slow start in the first set using a 7-2 run to erase a five-point deficit as SDSU built an 8-3 lead to open the action. After seven different tie scores, the Golden Eagles finally broke through for a 21-19 edge as Kaia Dunford buried back-to-back swings and kills from Sakira LaCour and Victoria Mayes put the set away, 25-22.
 
ORU held a 6-5 lead in the second stanza, but SDSU scored the next six points to move in front, 11-6. The Golden Eagles closed the gap to one, 12-11, as Dunford put away two kills around a Jaxie Wakley point. After the Jackrabbits regained a three-point lead, 17-14, Aixa Vigil started a run where ORU tallied nine of the next 11 points taking command of the frame, 23-19, with service aces by Sylvia Lawson and Vigil. Consecutive kills by Wakley ended the set for the Golden Eagles, 25-20.
 
It was LaCour and Mayes again that pushed ORU to a 5-3 advantage in set three before the Jackrabbits struck for a 13-10 cushion. Dunford and Wakley registered consecutive kills and the defense forced a SDSU error to even the score, 16-16. The Golden Eagles surged to a 23-19 margin getting three kills from Wakley on a 7-2 spurt only to see the visitors rally back to tie the set, 24-24. LaCour and Mayes combined for a huge block and Vigil dropped in a service ace giving ORU the league win, 26-24.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Lawson posted one of her best outings of the season totaling 38 set assists and 10 digs for her second double-double of the year, while chipping in six kills and two aces.
• Dunford finished with a team-best 12 kills and completed the double-double with 10 digs.
• Wakley totaled 10 kills on just 14 swings, including six kills on seven swings in the clinching set, finishing with a career-best .643 hitting percentage.
• LaCour excelled on both sides of the net leading the Golden Eagles with five block assists and had nine kills on 20 swings recording a .450 hitting percentage.
• Vigil paced the team with four service aces, matching her season high, to go with seven kills and 13 digs.
• Sarah Thiessen led all players with 16 digs in the three-set match.

 
Up Next
ORU hits the road for its final action of the shortened season facing the Mavericks of Omaha March 26 and 27.
 
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