Tulsa Falls in Five-Set Heartbreaker to Oklahoma

Tuesday, October 24

Norman, Okla.

6:00 p.m.

Tulsa

11-12,4-7AAC

Oklahoma

8-11,1-8Big 12

Tulsa

Oklahoma

Tulsa Falls in Five-Set Heartbreaker to Oklahoma

10/24/2023 11:09:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE (PDF) | SEASON STATS

NORMAN, Okla. — The Tulsa volleyball team came to within one set of grabbing its third win over a Power 5 school this season, but the Oklahoma Sooners (8-11, 1-8 Big 12) had other plans, narrowly escaping 3-2 (25-21, 25-19, 15-25, 20-25, 12-15) in the McCasland Field House in Norman. The Golden Hurricane's fifth straight loss drops TU to 11-12 overall.

It was a complete momentum shift midway through the match. In the first two sets, Tulsa averaged a .340 hitting percentage and put away 33 kills with only eight attack errors. In the final three games, Oklahoma's defense held the Hurricane to a .095 attack average while continuing to average nearly 15 kills per set.

Tulsa's attack was headed up by outside hitters Kayley Cassaday and Beth Bayless. Bayless slammed down 14 kills against her previous team in the Sooners while Cassaday put away 27 kills at a rate of 5.4 kills per set. Cassaday also added ten digs to earn her tenth double-double of the year.

Coordinating the Hurricane offense was senior setter Avery Kalsu, who set up six different attackers with 46 assists. On the defensive side, she dug out 14 Oklahoma attacks for her tenth double-double on the season.

The Hurricane blockers came away with nine total rejections on the night. Senior Regan Pendleton and sophomore Camryn Lingenbrink each recorded a block solo while sophomore Arianna Mongare led the court with five block assists.

Four different Hurricane had ten or more digs throughout the match, led by sophomore defensive specialist Lauren Eitler with 15 digs. Junior libero Marta Pecalli kept the ball alive with 14 digs to close out the match.

Tulsa resumes conference play at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, hosting South Florida (13-8, 7-3 AAC) Friday, Oct. 27, and East Carolina (18-4, 9-2 AAC) Sunday, Oct. 29.

Game Notes
» Both Kayley Cassaday (27 kills/10 digs) and Avery Kalsu (46 assists/14 digs) recorded their tenth double-doubles of the season.
» Arianna Mongare led the floor with five blocks, all assists.
» Tulsa won the blocking battle 9-7.
» Tulsa's .340 hitting percentage in the first two sets dropped to .095 in the final three.

How It Happened

SET 1 | Tulsa took control of the set at 2-1 and held the lead the rest of the way, cruising to a 25-21 set one finish. The Hurricane led by as many as four scores at multiple points in the set. TU hit for .390 to close out the set.

SET 2 | Set two featured eight tie scores and three lead changes through the first 30 rallies. Tulsa broke the tie at 15-15 and never looked back, running away with the second stanza 25-19 to go up 2-0. The Hurricane offense committed only three attack errors on the way to 17 kills in 34 attacks for a .412 hitting percentage.

SET 3 | The Sooners grabbed the first point of the third set and never trailed on the way to a 25-15 finish to cut into Tulsa's lead in the match. Tulsa was held to a .098 hitting average due, in part, to Oklahoma's four blocks in the set.

SET 4 | Oklahoma took the fourth set 25-20 to tie up the match at 2-2. Set four had eight tie scores and four lead changes before the Sooners took control at 14-13 and rode the momentum from there.

SET 5 | The Sooners' momentum carried them through the fifth sweep as they scored the first point and never gave up the lead on the way to a 15-12 finish to complete the reverse sweep. Tulsa was limited to four kills in the final set.

Tulsa               25        25        15        20        12
Oklahoma       21        19        25        25        15