The Basics
Tulsa Invitational
Score: Oral Roberts 0 – Tulsa 3
Records: ORU (2-5) – Tulsa (3-3)
Location: Reynolds Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
 
TULSA, Okla.– Despite a double-double from Kalena Vaivai, the Oral Roberts volleyball team fell in straight sets (20-25, 18-25, 13-25) to Tulsa Thursday night inside the Reynolds Center. 

Vaivai notched her fourth double-double of the season after tallying 27 assists and 13 digs. Trinity Freeman and Thaynara de Jesus were Vaivai's top targets on the night as the duo registered nine and eight kills, respectively. Freeman also logged her third straight contest with double-digit digs as the junior scooped up a career-best 18 Golden Hurricane attacks.

On the backrow, Breanna Rivas picked up her fourth double-digit dig performance of the year after finishing with 12.

In the opening set, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 4-1 start and later extended their advantage to 11-6 behind back-to-back kills from Shelbi Steen, which forced a TU timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Golden Hurricane recorded three straight points to trim the advantage to 11-9. ORU answered with six of the next eight points to push its lead to six, 17-11. TU responded with a 14-3 run to claim the first set, 25-20.
 
After a Freeman kill trimmed the deficit to 5-4 in the second, the Golden Hurricane answered with nine of the next 10 points to extend their advantage to 14-5. A 3-0 spurt pulled the Golden Eagles to within six, 14-8, before TU put an end to the surge with back-to-back kills. ORU drew within five, 17-12, courtesy of a 4-1 stretch but were unable to trim the deficit further as TU won the set, 25-18.
 
The Golden Hurricane took command of the third set early behind a 13-3 run to start. That cushion was all TU needed as they claimed the set, 25-13, and the match. 

Match Notes

• Vaivai registered her 13th double-double as a Golden Eagle.
• Freeman topped ORU in kills for the fifth time this season.
• The junior's 18 digs marked a career-high. 
• The Golden Eagles' 62 digs were a season-high for a three-set match. 
• Thursday's meeting marked the 87th meeting all-time between the two squads. 
• Despite the loss, ORU leads the all-time series 59-28.

Up Next
ORU continues the Tulsa Invitational tomorrow afternoon as they face off against Central Arkansas at 4 p.m.
 
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