WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Ouachita Tigers fell 3-2 in a five-set match to the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs on Friday, despite winning the second and third set. The Bulldogs won the first set 25-13, before Ouachita took the next two 25-19 and 25-21. Southwestern answered with a 25-14 win and stole the match with a 15-13 victory in the final set.
The Bulldogs (14-8, 7-3 GAC) dominated the first set of the match, posting a .317 attack percentage with only two attack errors. Ouachita was forced to seven errors and only nine kills.
The second set was the opposite, however, as the Tigers had 16 kills while holding Southwestern to nine kills and seven attack errors. Ouachita took the set after a 6-1 run gave the Tigers the 25-19 win. The run featured three kills from
Abby Pickett, who finished the set with nine kills and zero errors.
The Tigers (12-7, 6-4 GAC) took the third set behind a 5-1 run to take a 2-1 lead over the Bulldogs.
Kori Bullard led the way with five kills and zero errors in the set, while
Ashley Wake recorded 13 digs. Bullard also had one solo block and two block assists.
Southwestern Oklahoma State took over the match in the fourth set, holding the Tigers to a .000 attack percentage. The Bulldogs had 12 kills and only two errors to tie the match at 2-2.
In the fifth set, the Bulldogs took an early 7-4 lead, before Ouachita took a 12-8 lead on an 8-1 run. SWOSU responded immediately, however, with a 6-0 run and later ended the match with a kill by Kayla Herbert.
Pickett finished with a match-high 21 kills, her third match of the season with at least 20 kills.
Stormi Leonard also had a match-high with 49 assists, tying a career-high. Bullard had a career-high four solo blocks in the five set match and also added five block assists.
Four Tigers finished in double-digits in digs, including Wake with 37.
Jayme Shell had 16,
Nikki Clay finished with 13 and
Anna LeTourneau followed with 11.
The Tigers will stay in Oklahoma for a match against Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday in Alva. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.