The Basics
Match One Score: Oral Roberts 0 – Arkansas 3
Records: ORU (6-1) – ARK (6-1)
Box Score
Match Two Score: Oral Roberts 0 – Stephen F. Austin 3
Records: ORU (6-2) – SFA (5-2)
Box Score
Location: Reynolds Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts volleyball team dropped its first matches of the season Friday to Arkansas (22-25, 15-25, 17-25) and Stephen F. Austin (26-28, 18-25, 20-25) from the Reynolds Center during the Tulsa Invitational snapping a six-match win streak.
 
The Golden Eagles forced attack errors on each point of a 3-0 burst to take an 8-4 advantage in the opening set of the day. Arkansas came back to tie the score and the battle continued as neither side could generate more than a two-point cushion until a 19-16 edge for the Razorbacks, who held off a late charge winning 25-22.
 
Arkansas broke an early 3-3 tie and never relinquished the lead despite runs by the Golden Eagles to stay close. A 6-1 surge put the opposition in front 18-10 and went on to close the frame, 25-15. The Razorbacks took control of the final set scoring a pair of 4-0 runs for an 11-4 lead before ORU forced three-straight errors. Back-to-back kills by Bryanne Soares and Jeslyn Spencer helped pull within three and a Rami Mose and Sakira LaCour block made it a 14-12 deficit. Arkansas scored the next six points and finished off the match, 25-17.
 
The opening set of match two started with each side trading points as the score was tied every step until a 5-0 stretch by the Golden Eagles pushed for a 12-7 edge. The Ladyjacks fought back and took an 18-17 lead, but ORU returned the favor and got three-consecutive kills from Kaia Dunford and Spencer moving back in front, 22-20. SFA was able to turn the momentum and claim the first frame, 28-26, in a set that had 15 ties and seven lead changes.
 
It was the same recipe in the second stanza featuring eight ties, including at 11-11, only to have SFA go on a 10-3 run and ended the set, 25-18. Four of the first five points in set three went to the Ladyjacks as the errors mounted for ORU before a Trinity Freeman swing closed the gap to 5-4. A pair of Aixa Vigil kills made it an 11-10 deficit, but a 7-1 run by SFA ended a late, comeback bid by the Golden Eagles falling 25-20.
 
Inside the Match One Box Score

• Wakley led the offense with seven kills and a .312 hitting percentage, while LaCour added five kills.
• Sarah Thiessen and Dunford each recorded double-digit digs posting 11 and 10, respectively.
• Bryanne Soares tallied 17 set assists and four digs.
• After four blocks in the opening set, the Golden Eagles finished with a 9-6 advantage at the net. LaCour had two solo blocks and four block assists to lead the team.

 
Inside the Match Two Box Score

• Soares put together another double-double performance getting 30 set assists along with 10 digs.
• Freeman paced ORU in kills putting away 12, while Spencer joined her in double figures with 10.
• Thiessen registered a team-best 12 digs as the redshirt senior has reached double digits in seven of eight outings this year.
• Breanna Rivas tallied a season-best seven digs.

 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles play their final non-conference test of the campaign Saturday afternoon facing the host Tulsa at 3 p.m.
 
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