TULSA, Okla. – The Golden Eagles opened League play dropping a five-set match to the undefeated South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Despite an early 2-0 lead in the match, ORU couldn't secure the victory in their first game of Summit League play.
 
ORU opened the first set in a back-and-forth battle with the Jackrabbits, alternating points until the score was 13-all. The Golden Eagles secured the set, ending on a 6-2 run behind four attack errors from SDSU. In the second set, the Golden Eagles continued their dominant offensive attack. The outside hitter duo of Trinity Freeman and Anzley Rinard logged five and six kills, respectively, in set two. With Maite Solabarrieta setting them the ball, it seemed as if the ORU attack couldn't be stopped. Early in the set, the Golden Eagles sparked a 7-2 tear to pull ahead of the Jackrabbits. From then on, ORU and SDSU alternated three point scoring runs but the early advantage gave the Golden Eagles set two.
 
In sets three and four, the Golden Eagles were neck-and-neck with the Jackrabbits until the fifteen point mark as SDSU dominated the crucial periods of each set. Set five was all Jackrabbits as they opened the set on a 3-0 run and proceeded to close the set and match on a 6-2 run.
 
Match Notes

• Trinity Freeman and Anzley Rinard logged 22 and 20 kills, respectively, each a single game season-high. Freeman recorded the sixth game of her ORU career with 20+ kills and Rinard earned her first 20+ kill match, a massive mark for the freshman. Freeman recorded a season-high .362 hit pct on the match while Rinard logged a .245 hit pct, her second best of the season.
• On top of her 20 kill performance, Rinard also recorded 17 digs in the match and the first double-double of her career.
• Maite Solabarrieta racked up 44 assists on the match, a new ORU single game season-high and the first 40+ assist game of her career. Solabarrieta is the only player on the roster with a game of 40+ assists under her belt.
• Thaynara de Jesus led the team in digs throughout the Wildcat Classic, racking up 24 thru two matches.
• At the net, Natassia Baptiste led ORU with three block assists on top of four kills.
• ORU is five wins away from 1,000 wins as a program.

 
Up Next
ORU will face off against South Dakota on Saturday, September 28th, in the second and final game of their weekend home stand.
 
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