Tulsa Sweeps Bobcats in Texas State Invitational Opener

Friday, September 12

San Marcos, Texas

6:00 p.m.

Tulsa

5-2,0-0American

Texas State

3-4,0-0Sun Belt

Tulsa

Texas St.

Photo by: Alina Lebedeva

Tulsa Sweeps Bobcats in Texas State Invitational Opener

9/12/2025 7:57:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

SAN MARCOS, Texas. — Tulsa (5-2) is now on a five-match win streak after defeating Texas State (3-4) in straight sets at the Texas State Invitational Friday evening, winning 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 with a Team hitting percentage of .294.

"There's a lot of momentum on our side for sure," said junior outside Olivia Vance. "I think we also do a really good job of not completely moving on from the win, but realizing what's ahead of us is what we need to focus on. We still have more work to do.

"Brayden Hipp is just so intelligent and puts the ball in a great place. She knows what's going on on the other side. All kudos to my team for setting me up. It feels so good to work so hard in practice and watch it come to life on the court."

In the first set of the match between Tulsa and Texas State, both teams traded initial points, with the Bobcats taking an early 4-1 lead aided by a service ace from Brooke Bentke. Tulsa responded with a strong sequence, including a service ace by Lauren Patterson, to pull ahead 6-4. The teams exchanged points, keeping the score close, but Tulsa eventually took control with a series of kills from Olivia Vance and Kat Cooper, extending their lead to 15-12. Despite a late push from the home team, highlighted by consecutive kills from Nina Moorer, Tulsa sealed the set with back-to-back kills by Vance, concluding the set with a 25-23 victory.

In the second set, the Golden Hurricane showcased strong offensive and defensive plays to secure a 25-18 victory over Texas State. After a back-and-forth start, Tulsa managed to break away with a series of key plays, including a service ace by Brittany Bacorn at 12-12, followed by a kill from Cooper to extend their lead to 14-12. Lauren Eitler added two crucial kills at 17-15 and 18-15, creating a comfortable buffer for Tulsa. Despite a few service errors, Tulsa maintained their momentum with Vance's kill at 24-18, leading to a final attack error by Texas State's Britton Finley, which sealed the set for the visitors.

In the third set, Tulsa demonstrated resilience and strategic play against Texas State, starting with a kill by Jill Hanson to get things going. The teams traded points early on, but a series of attack errors by Texas State allowed Tulsa to gain momentum. At 12-11, consecutive errors by Jade Defraeye and a kill by Eitler helped Tulsa tie the score at 13-13. As the set progressed, Vance emerged as a key player for Tulsa, contributing crucial points and capitalizing on Texas State errors to build an 18-16 lead. A final push saw Tulsa secure a 25-19 victory, with Vance's performance and Brayden Hipp's assists playing pivotal roles in the decisive stretch.

Tulsa wraps up the Texas State Invitational tomorrow against Incarnate Word (3-4) at 11 a.m. Central

Tulsa's Top Performers
Olivia Vance
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- 13 kills on a .375 hitting percentage
- 5 total blocks
- 16 points

Lauren Eitler
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- 10 kills with a .300 hitting percentage
- 2 service aces
- 4 digs
- 2 total blocks

Brayden Hipp
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- 34 assists
- 9 digs

Kat Cooper
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- 10 kills on a .353 hitting percentage
- 1 service ace
- 11.5 points

Texas State's Top Performers
Nina Moorer
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- 9 kills
- .300 hitting percentage
- 3 digs
- 2 total blocks

Anna Blaine
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- 27 assists
- 1 kill
- .333 hitting percentage

Ashley Emmerling
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- 1 kill
- .500 hitting percentage

Jade Defraeye
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- 4 kills
- 3 total blocks
- 5.5 points

Naara Tanco
----------------------
- 3 digs

Game Notes:
- Tulsa is now on a five-match win streak.
- Three Golden Hurricane finished with double-figure kills, including Olivia Vance (13), Kat Cooper (10), Lauren Eitler (10).
- Brayden Hipp dished out 34 assists, averaging 11.33 per set.
- Tulsa out-blocked Texas State 7-3.
- Olivia Vance had a career-high 5 blocks.

2025 SEASON TICKETS
Starting at just $50, season ticket members will receive one membership card per ticket ordered that will be good for all 2025 Tulsa volleyball regular season home matches in the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Season tickets are not valid for any postseason games. No refunds for canceled games due to weather-related or any other cause. CLICK HERE to start the process of ordering tickets or call 918-631-4688.

Ball Kid Signups
The Tulsa Volleyball team is looking for ball kids for the 2025 season. Ball kids and one accompanying parent or guardian will receive free admission for games they sign up for. Ball kids will retrieve balls that go out of bounds on the sidelines for the entire game and provide a fresh ball for servers. Only ages 10-12 are allowed to participate. Individual and group signups will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up by clicking HERE.

Visit www.TulsaHurricane.com for the latest news and information on the volleyball program. Fans can also follow the team on X, Facebook and Instagram.