Submitted
BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – OCU picked up a 25-18, 25-21, 25-20 win against Benedictine (Kan.) and a 25-20, 25-10, 25-17 win against Avila (Mo.) on Sept. 11 at the Collins Center in the Baker volleyball invitational.
Senior Xiaoting Ma led the Stars (4-4) in both matches. She posted 11 kills, nine digs, two aces and two blocks against Benedictine and 16 kills and two aces vs. Avila.
Against Benedictine, Freshman Torrie Flynn matched her season high with 10 kills and set her new season high with five blocks for OCU.
Junior Samantha Ball recorded 33 assists and eight digs, while Junior Raissa Santos added six kills, 10 digs and two blocks.
OCU erased an 8-4 deficit in the second set. Ma and Flynn pounded out kills, then teamed on a block to cut Benedictine’s edge to 8-7.
The Stars rallied to tie the set 11-11 on Flynn’s solo block, then Ma came up with two aces in a row. Ma and Flynn came through with consecutive kills as OCU broke an 18-18 tie. The Stars scored the final three points of the set to take the second frame.
OCU built 5-0, 7-1 and 10-2 advantages on the way to the third-set win. Flynn and Vicky Murphy combined on a block to bring up match point at 24-20, then Flynn knocked down a kill to clinch the victory.
Against Avila, Santos added 14 kills and 10 digs, while Junior Kayli Jordan picked up 23 digs. Freshman Danielle Robison accumulated 40 assists and eight digs for the Stars.
OCU compiled a .330 hitting percentage as a team in the match. The Stars rang up a .586 hitting percentage in the second set.
In the third set, OCU reeled off an 8-0 run en route to the win. Flynn and Santos sparked OCU with back-to-back kills. Ma capped the Stars’ spree with consecutive kills and an ace.
The Stars open Sooner Athletic Conference play against Southern Nazarene at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 in Bethany, Okla.
