Saturday, September 20
Tulsa, Okla.
7:00 p.m.
Tulsa
10-2,0-0American
3
vs
0
Little Rock
5-7,0-0OVC
1
2
3
F
Little Rock
23
22
23
0
Tulsa
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Anais Moua
Golden Hurricane Sweeps Little Rock to Win the Tulsa Volleyball Invitational
9/20/2025 9:52:00 PM | Volleyball
TULSA, Okla. —Tulsa (10-2) completed the 2025 non-conference schedule Saturday night with their 10th consecutive win, finishing the Tulsa Volleyball Invitational as outright tournament champions after defeating Little Rock (5-7) in straight sets, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23, at home in the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
For their performance this weekend, Olivia Vance, Brayden Hipp and Lauren Eitler were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Vance taking home MVP honors after earning 37 kills (4.1 per set) and hitting for .472 over the last two days.
Tulsa's offense was key in the victory on Saturday, posting a .325 hitting percentage with 51 kills. Notably, Olivia Vance landed 15 kills and finished with a .448 hitting mark, and Kat Cooper also finished above .400, going 12-2-24 from the floor for a .417 hitting clip.
"Being able to go out there with my team and show how much grit we have, it was just amazing," Olivia Vance remarked following the Golden Hurricane's victory over Little Rock. Reflecting on a pivotal moment in the third set, Vance shared, "We really talked about how we need to pick it up a little bit defensively, just get a better first touch. That way we can kill better in transition, and then also just playing our game. We kind of let them take the energy of the match over and that's not what Tulsa volleyball is about."
Playing in front of a home crowd at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, Vance expressed, "It's absolutely amazing being able to have my family here is just, I mean, it's the highlight of my whole life right now."
Tulsa opened the first set with a strong start, taking an early 8-1 lead thanks to a series of errors by Little Rock and effective kills from Kat Cooper and Olivia Vance. Jill Hanson contributed with four consecutive assists during this stretch, highlighting the Golden Hurricane's offensive rhythm. The Trojans responded with a 5-1 run to bring the score to 9-6, driven by a service ace from A'lanae Margaritha and a kill from Sophia Garrido. The teams traded points in a tense sequence, with Little Rock closing the gap to 22-22 after a kill by Margaritha. However, Tulsa capitalized on Little Rock's service errors and a decisive kill by Cooper from Brayden Hipp's setup, securing the set at 25-23.
In the second set, Tulsa secured a 25-22 victory over the Trojans, capitalizing on a series of errors and strategic plays. Tulsa never trailed or allowed a tie score in this set, maintaining control throughout. The set began with Tulsa taking an early 2-0 lead, highlighted by a block from Jill Hanson and Beth Bayless. They extended their advantage to 5-1 following a service ace by Brittany Bacorn and an attack error from Little Rock's Margaritha. The Trojans tried to cut into the lead but faced a resilient defense, with Vance and Hanson executing a successful block at 11-4. Hipp contributed significantly, providing multiple assists, including a critical one to Vance at 13-7. Little Rock mounted a late surge, narrowing the gap to 24-22 with service aces from Kaylee Smith, but a kill by Lauren Eitler from Hipp's assist clinched the set for Tulsa.
The Golden Hurricane took a tightly contested third set against the Trojans, finishing with a 25-23 victory. The set began with Eitler and Vance each contributing significant kills as they exchanged early points with Little Rock. However, the Trojans managed a 4-0 run, aided by Tulsa errors, to gain a 6-2 lead. Tulsa responded with a series of kills from Cooper and Vance, closing the gap to a 9-9 tie. The set continued to see-saw with neither team able to sustain a lengthy lead, as Bella Cherry and Margaritha consistently scored for Little Rock. The Golden Hurricane survived 11 ties and four lead changes to win this set. Ultimately, Tulsa clinched the set with a decisive kill from Cooper, assisted by Hipp, to seal the win in a tense finish.
Looking ahead, the Golden Hurricane will open American Conference action against UTSA on Friday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas.
Tulsa Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament Team
Tulsa
Olivia Vance, OH (MVP)
Brayden Hipp, S
Lauren Eitler, OH
Little Rock
Crismeyli Rodriguez, OH
Bella Cherry, OH/RS
Oral Roberts
Julia Carr, DS/L
New Mexico State
Kate Sinclair, MB
Tulsa's Top Performers
Olivia Vance
-----------------
- 15 kills on 29 attempts with a .448 hitting percentage
- 15.5 points total
- one block assist
Kat Cooper
-----------------
- 12 kills on 24 attempts with a .417 hitting percentage
- 13.5 points total
- two total blocks (one solo)
Brayden Hipp
-----------------
- 42 assists
- two kills on four attempts with a .500 hitting percentage
- one solo block
Lauren Eitler
-----------------
- eight kills on 33 attempts
- 10 digs
- 8.5 points total
Little Rock's Top Performers
Bella Cherry
- 13 kills
- .379 hitting percentage
- 10 digs
- 15.0 points
A'lanae Margaritha
- 12 kills
- .556 hitting percentage
- 14.0 points
Crismeyli Rodriguez
- 9 kills
- 11 digs
- 10.0 points
Dariana Valencia
- 24 assists
- 1 service ace
- 8 digs
Kaylee Smith
- 15 assists
- 2 service aces
- 8 digs
Game Notes
----------------------
- Tulsa cuts down Little Rock's series lead to 3-2 following the win.
- Three different players finished with 10 or more digs: Lauren Patterson (12), Brittany Bacorn (11), and Lauren Eitler (10).
- Jill Hanson led the front row with three 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.
For their performance this weekend, Olivia Vance, Brayden Hipp and Lauren Eitler were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Vance taking home MVP honors after earning 37 kills (4.1 per set) and hitting for .472 over the last two days.
Tulsa's offense was key in the victory on Saturday, posting a .325 hitting percentage with 51 kills. Notably, Olivia Vance landed 15 kills and finished with a .448 hitting mark, and Kat Cooper also finished above .400, going 12-2-24 from the floor for a .417 hitting clip.
"Being able to go out there with my team and show how much grit we have, it was just amazing," Olivia Vance remarked following the Golden Hurricane's victory over Little Rock. Reflecting on a pivotal moment in the third set, Vance shared, "We really talked about how we need to pick it up a little bit defensively, just get a better first touch. That way we can kill better in transition, and then also just playing our game. We kind of let them take the energy of the match over and that's not what Tulsa volleyball is about."
Playing in front of a home crowd at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, Vance expressed, "It's absolutely amazing being able to have my family here is just, I mean, it's the highlight of my whole life right now."
Tulsa opened the first set with a strong start, taking an early 8-1 lead thanks to a series of errors by Little Rock and effective kills from Kat Cooper and Olivia Vance. Jill Hanson contributed with four consecutive assists during this stretch, highlighting the Golden Hurricane's offensive rhythm. The Trojans responded with a 5-1 run to bring the score to 9-6, driven by a service ace from A'lanae Margaritha and a kill from Sophia Garrido. The teams traded points in a tense sequence, with Little Rock closing the gap to 22-22 after a kill by Margaritha. However, Tulsa capitalized on Little Rock's service errors and a decisive kill by Cooper from Brayden Hipp's setup, securing the set at 25-23.
In the second set, Tulsa secured a 25-22 victory over the Trojans, capitalizing on a series of errors and strategic plays. Tulsa never trailed or allowed a tie score in this set, maintaining control throughout. The set began with Tulsa taking an early 2-0 lead, highlighted by a block from Jill Hanson and Beth Bayless. They extended their advantage to 5-1 following a service ace by Brittany Bacorn and an attack error from Little Rock's Margaritha. The Trojans tried to cut into the lead but faced a resilient defense, with Vance and Hanson executing a successful block at 11-4. Hipp contributed significantly, providing multiple assists, including a critical one to Vance at 13-7. Little Rock mounted a late surge, narrowing the gap to 24-22 with service aces from Kaylee Smith, but a kill by Lauren Eitler from Hipp's assist clinched the set for Tulsa.
The Golden Hurricane took a tightly contested third set against the Trojans, finishing with a 25-23 victory. The set began with Eitler and Vance each contributing significant kills as they exchanged early points with Little Rock. However, the Trojans managed a 4-0 run, aided by Tulsa errors, to gain a 6-2 lead. Tulsa responded with a series of kills from Cooper and Vance, closing the gap to a 9-9 tie. The set continued to see-saw with neither team able to sustain a lengthy lead, as Bella Cherry and Margaritha consistently scored for Little Rock. The Golden Hurricane survived 11 ties and four lead changes to win this set. Ultimately, Tulsa clinched the set with a decisive kill from Cooper, assisted by Hipp, to seal the win in a tense finish.
Looking ahead, the Golden Hurricane will open American Conference action against UTSA on Friday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas.
Tulsa Volleyball Invitational All-Tournament Team
Tulsa
Olivia Vance, OH (MVP)
Brayden Hipp, S
Lauren Eitler, OH
Little Rock
Crismeyli Rodriguez, OH
Bella Cherry, OH/RS
Oral Roberts
Julia Carr, DS/L
New Mexico State
Kate Sinclair, MB
Tulsa's Top Performers
Olivia Vance
-----------------
- 15 kills on 29 attempts with a .448 hitting percentage
- 15.5 points total
- one block assist
Kat Cooper
-----------------
- 12 kills on 24 attempts with a .417 hitting percentage
- 13.5 points total
- two total blocks (one solo)
Brayden Hipp
-----------------
- 42 assists
- two kills on four attempts with a .500 hitting percentage
- one solo block
Lauren Eitler
-----------------
- eight kills on 33 attempts
- 10 digs
- 8.5 points total
Little Rock's Top Performers
Bella Cherry
- 13 kills
- .379 hitting percentage
- 10 digs
- 15.0 points
A'lanae Margaritha
- 12 kills
- .556 hitting percentage
- 14.0 points
Crismeyli Rodriguez
- 9 kills
- 11 digs
- 10.0 points
Dariana Valencia
- 24 assists
- 1 service ace
- 8 digs
Kaylee Smith
- 15 assists
- 2 service aces
- 8 digs
Game Notes
----------------------
- Tulsa cuts down Little Rock's series lead to 3-2 following the win.
- Three different players finished with 10 or more digs: Lauren Patterson (12), Brittany Bacorn (11), and Lauren Eitler (10).
- Jill Hanson led the front row with three 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.
Team Stats
LR
Tulsa
Kills
45
51
Errors
12
11
Attempts
114
123
Hitting %
.289
.325
Points
57.0
61.0
Assists
43
46
Aces
5
4
Blocks
7
6
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
L
/ VolleyballOH
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