The Basics
Score: South Dakota 1 – Oral Roberts 3
Records: USD (5-7, 2-1 SL) – ORU (9-3, 3-0 SL)
Box Score
Location: Cooper Aerobics Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
 
TULSA, Okla. – The unbeaten run continues as the Oral Roberts volleyball team handed South Dakota its first league loss (25-19, 17-25, 25-19, 25-18) in its Summit League opener inside the Cooper Aerobics Center.
 
The Golden Eagles came out on fire scoring the first five points and a Jaxie Wakley solo block made it a 10-5 advantage in the first frame. Back-to-back swings from Wakley and Sakira LaCour kept the home side in front, 15-8, forcing a USD timeout. The Coyotes attempted to climb back into the set closing the gap to three, but ORU shut down the opposition for a 25-19 win.
 
The visitors jumped to a 7-3 edge in the second set before the Golden Eagles cut the margin to 10-9 as LaCour and Jeslyn Spencer combined for a block followed by a Trinity Freeman kill. It was Wakley that found the floor again tying the frame, 14-14. The Coyotes later broke a 17-17 deadlock by tallying the next eight points and evened the match with a 25-17 set win.
 
ORU burst to a 5-1 lead in the third set after Aixa Vigil dropped in a service ace and stretched that to 7-2 on a Bryanne Soares kill. The Golden Eagles kept USD at bay taking advantage of a 4-0 run and pushed to a seven-point lead, 17-10. ORU continued to pressure the Coyotes in all facets before ending the stanza winning 25-19 on a Freeman point.
 
It was another quick start by the home side in set four registering the first four points capped on an ace serve by Vigil and ORU made it 9-4 behind another 3-0 stretch. The Coyotes cut into the score, 11-8, but consecutive swings by Freeman and Vigil turned the momentum back to ORU for a 16-9 cushion. The crowd sensed victory and urged the Golden Eagles to the finish as LaCour accounted for four of the final six points securing the upset over the defending Summit League tournament champs and preseason favorites, 25-18.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Soares controlled the offense to the tune of 47 set assists and completed the double-double adding 14 digs. She also posted seven kills on 12 swings for a .583 hitting percentage.
• Vigil finished with a 16-kill, 12-dig double-double and chipped in a team-leading three service aces.
• Freeman shined in her first match in front of the home fans as the freshman tallied 14 kills on 27 attempts hitting .370 for the contest.
• Wakley and LaCour helped the offense recording nine and eight kills, respectively. LaCour topped the defensive effort and was a part of six of ORU's nine blocks.
• Sarah Thiessen put together another performance of double-digit digs as the redshirt senior had a match-best 17, while Spencer also reached double digits with 12.
• The win over USD was the first for the Golden Eagles since Nov. 18, 2017 in The Summit League semifinals.

 
Up Next
ORU closes the weekend of home competition Saturday in a matinee against South Dakota State. Watch all the action live on ORUSN at 1 p.m.
 
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.