Tulsa Volleyball Opens Season with 3-1 Victory over Michigan State

Saturday, August 26

Fayetteville, Ark.

2:00 p.m.

Tulsa

1-0,0-0AAC

Michigan State

0-2,0-0Big Ten

Tulsa

Michigan St.

Photo by: Walt Beazley

Tulsa Volleyball Opens Season with 3-1 Victory over Michigan State

8/26/2023 5:31:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

BOX SCORE (PDF)

Fayetteville, Ark. — The Tulsa volleyball team brought the energy to the Razorback Classic in Fayetteville Saturday as the Golden Hurricane triumphed 3-1 (27-25, 10-25, 25-18, 25-19) over the Michigan State Spartans (0-2) to bring home season-opening success. The win gives Lauren Ramatowski her first victory as a collegiate head coach.

"I'm so grateful for this moment and the amazing young ladies on this team," said Ramatowski. "They are a resilient group. To come back from that second-set loss and to refocus on our game plan says a lot about their maturity and trust in our process."

The Hurricane attacks went through senior outside hitter Kayley Cassaday and sophomore outside hitter Beth Bayless. Cassaday picked up where she left off last season, amassing 17 kills and only four errors in 55 total attempts for a team-leading hitting average of .236. Bayless put up a career-high ten kills in 39 attacks and batted down two block assists.

Senior setter Avery Kalsu commanded the direction of the offensive flow, producing 24 assists on 95 total attempts. She also went for 12 digs to secure her first double-double of the season.

On the defensive side, Cassaday led Tulsa with 15 digs to earn her first double-double on the year when paired with her 17 kills. Junior libero Marta added 11 digs.

Arianna Mongare had a career day for the Hurricane, setting new career marks in blocks (6) and services aces (3). Mongare's performance in the front row helped Tulsa out-block the Spartans 20-12. Eight different Hurricane had at least one block on the day and three batted down three or blocks (Arianna Mongare (6), Regan Pendleton (4) and Camryn Lingenbrink (3)).

Tulsa will continue action at the Razorback Classic tomorrow at 2 p.m. against the host No. 25 Arkansas.

Game Notes
» Kayley Cassaday (17 kills/15 digs) and Avery Kalsu (24 assists/12 digs) recorded their first double-doubles of the season.
» Arianna Mongare (6) and Regan Pendleton (4) led the team in block assists, while Kayley Cassaday added two solo stuffs.
» Tulsa had three players with double figures in digs (Marta Pecalli (27), Avery Kalsu (12) and Marta Pecalli (11)).
» Tulsa served a clean game, putting one serve in the net compared to Michigan State's 14.
» The Hurricane out-blocked the Spartans 20-12.
» There were 24 total tie scores and 14 lead changes.
» TU never gave up the lead in the fourth set.

How It Happened

SET 1 | The Hurricane grabbed an initial 6-4 lead before Michigan State took advantage of an eight-point run to go up by six. Beth Bayless and Kayley Cassaday combined for 11 kills to help Tulsa erase the deficit and take back the lead at 23-22. After nine tie scores and seven lead changes throughout the set, Tulsa closed out 27-25 to go up 1-0 on the Spartans.

SET 2 | Michigan State responded with a 25-10 performance in the second set to tie up the match at 1-1. Tulsa never held the lead as the Spartans took control early with a 5-0 start to the stanza. The Hurricane could not chip away at the gap as Michigan State's relentless attack helped the Spartans run away with set two.

SET 3 | The unphased Hurricane bounced back in the third set, prevailing through nine tie scores and three lead changes to take the set 25-18 to go up 2-1 on Michigan State. Tulsa's defense produced 16 digs and four blocks to propel the Hurricane to the set win. Down 13-11, TU used a 6-1 run to grab the lead for the rest of the stanza, leading by as many as seven points to close out the set.

SET 4 | Tulsa and Michigan State fought through six ties and four lead changes through the first 12 points scored. The Hurricane took the lead at 7-6 and cruised from there to a 25-19 fourth-set win. TU relied once more on its defense, putting up 22 digs and a match-high eight blocks in the stanza to seal the 3-1 victory in the season opener for the Hurricane.

Tulsa 27 10 25 25
Michigan State 25 25 18 19