The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 3 – North Dakota State 0
Records: ORU (8-3, 2-0 SL) – NDSU (6-8, 0-2 SL)
Box Score
Location: Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse (Fargo, N.D.)
 
FARGO, N.D. – The Oral Roberts volleyball would not be stopped at North Dakota State Saturday taking down the Bison in straight sets (25-22, 25-23, 25-17) to complete a perfect weekend and remain unbeaten in Summit League play.
 
It was an incredible effort late in all three sets that secured the win, including a 10-1 run to close set two and a 10-2 effort in set three. The victory for the Golden Eagles was the first in Fargo, North Dakota, since 2017 and the first-ever sweep of the Bison on the road in program history.
 
The Golden Eagles erased an early deficit using a 5-1 burst behind kills from Jeslyn Spencer, Trinity Freeman and Jaxie Wakley for a 6-4 edge and stretched that to 11-8. A successful challenge by head coach Frank Craig III overturned a point giving ORU an 18-13 lead, but the Bison fought back to even the score, 20-20. A kill by Kaia Dunford stopped NDSU's momentum and an attack error by the home side made it a two-point cushion before Bryanne Soares sealed the set, 25-22.
 
The Bison scored eight of the first 10 points in the second stanza until a back-row swing by Aixa Vigil ended the run. It was a serving run by Vigil that helped the Golden Eagles close the gap to 15-12 as Freeman started the run putting away a kill and Sakira LaCour followed with a solo block. After the margin swelled to 22-15, ORU chipped away one point at a time and used an 8-0 run as LaCour and Vigil combined for two kills and a block turning the tide for the visitors. The Golden Eagles capped the set on a remarkable 10-1 run to pull out a 25-23 win.
 
The momentum stayed with the visitors in the third set as ORU opened a 3-1 lead only to see NDSU bounce back for an 8-5 edge. The action went back and forth and the Golden Eagles were able to move in front for a slim margin before a 15-15 tie. It was back-to-back kills by Vigil followed by consecutive service aces from Wakley as ORU built a 19-15 advantage. Two blocks from LaCour extended the surge to the finish and the Golden Eagles finished off the Bison, 25-17, on a Vigil block.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Vigil came on strong down the stretch powering ORU in kills as the senior finished with 10 and a .421 hitting percentage. She added eight digs, two blocks and an ace.
• LaCour anchored the defense recording two solo blocks and five block assists as the Golden Eagles out-blocked NDSU by an 8-4 margin.
• Spencer contributed eight kills, while Wakley and Freeman each tallied six. Wakley also dropped in a match-high three of ORU's seven aces.
• Soares registered 32 set assists and nine digs.
• Libero Sarah Thiessen reached double-digit digs for the 10th time in 11 outings this year totaling a match-best 12.

 
Up Next
ORU returns to campus for its first home match of the 2021 season welcoming defending Summit League tournament champion South Dakota Sept. 30 at 4 p.m.
 
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