The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 1 – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3
Records: ORU (0-1) – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-1)
Location: Johnson Coliseum (Huntsville, Texas)
 
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Despite double-doubles from Thaynara de Jesus and Kalena Vaivai, the Oral Roberts volleyball team dropped its season opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in four sets (18-25, 27-29, 25-22, 17-25) Friday evening inside Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas.

In her first match as a Golden Eagle, de Jesus put down a match-best 17 kills to go along with a team-high 18 digs. Vaivai guided the ORU offense with a match-best 34 assists and scooped up 14 digs for her 11th double-double as a Golden Eagle. 

The Islanders collected eight of the first 11 points in the opening set to force a Golden Eagle timeout. After A&M-Corpus Christi stretched its lead to eight, 18-10, ORU responded with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit in half. The Islanders totaled seven of the final 11 points to claim the opening set, 25-18.

The two squads traded first 14 points before the Islanders used a 3-0 stretch to take a 10-7 advantage. The Golden Eagles responded with four consecutive points of their own to take a 13-12 lead. ORU later opened its largest lead of the set, 19-16, behind a 3-0 spurt that was capped off by Kedron Burk kill. 

Following a service error, the Golden Eagles held their first set point, 25-24, but the Islanders answered and ultimately took the set, 29-27. The back-and forth game featured 18 ties and nine lead changes.

In the third, de Jesus took over as the junior logged seven of her 17 kills to help lead ORU to a 25-22 victory. Trailing 15-14, ORU compiled a 5-1 run to take a 19-16 advantage. That cushion was all the Golden Eagles needed as the two sides traded the final 12 points. 

Following a 4-4 start to the fourth, the Islanders gained momentum with four consecutive points. Later in the set, A&M-Corpus Christi seized control with a 6-0 run as they went on to claim the set, 25-17, and the match. 
 
Match Notes

• Friday's contest marked the fifth meeting all-time between ORU and A&M-Corpus Christi
• Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 3-2.
• Vaivai reached 30-plus assists for the 10th time as a Golden Eagle.
• Trinity Freeman and Burk chipped in offensively with nine and eight kills, respectively.
• On the backrow, libero Breanna Rivas tallied 15 digs. 

 
The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 1 – Sam Houston State 3
Records: ORU (0-2) – Sam Houston State (2-0)
Location: Johnson Coliseum (Huntsville, Texas)
 
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Oral Roberts volleyball team dropped its second straight match at the Bearkat Invitational as they fell in four sets (14-25, 12-25, 25-23, 18-25) to Sam Houston State Friday night inside Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas.

Kedron Burk, Trinity Freeman, Jaxie Wakley and Shelbi Steen paced the offensive attack for the Golden Eagles as they each logged seven kills. Setter Kalena Vaivia narrowly missed her second consecutive double-double as the senior totaled 22 assists and nine digs. 

Thaynara de Jesus led ORU with 12 digs in the match, while Steen joined the junior in double-figures with 11 of her own. 

The Bearkats jumped out to a 14-2 start in the opening set and never relinquished control as they went on to win 25-14. In the second, the two sides traded the first 10 points before Sam Houston State used a 9-1 run to seize momentum. The Bearkats went on to claim the set, 25-12, to take a commanding 2-0 lead. 

In a back-and-forth third set that featured 13 ties and seven lead changes, the Golden Eagles came out on top 25-23. Trailing 20-18, ORU rallied for seven of the final 10 points to take the set. During the stretch, Burk caught fire for the Golden Eagles as the sophomore totaled three of her seven kills. 

With the score knotted up at 10-10 in the fourth, the Bearkats regained the lead for good with a 4-0 run. Sam Houston State later opened a seven-point advantage, 21-14, behind a 3-0 spurt. The two sides went on to trade the final eight points as the Bearkats clinched the set, 25-18, and the match. 
 
Match Notes

• Friday's matchup marked the 14th meeting all-time between the two squads. 
• ORU is now 6-8 all-time against the Bearkats.
• Four different Golden Eagles totaled seven kills. 
• Wakley led ORU with five blocks in the contest.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles conclude the Bearkat Invitational tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. against Nicholls State.
 
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