Tulsa Middles Push 8-0 Golden Hurricane to Five-Set Victory over South Dakota State

Saturday, September 12

Lawrence, Kan.

4:00 p.m.

University of Tulsa

8-0,0-0American

South Dakota State

4-5,0-0Summit League

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Tulsa	19	25	25	23	15	3
South Dakota St.	25	20	17	25	8	2

Photo by: Nathan Snook

Tulsa Middles Push 8-0 Golden Hurricane to Five-Set Victory over South Dakota State

9/12/2026 7:38:00 PM | Volleyball

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LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Tulsa volleyball squad defeated Summit League favorite South Dakota State 3-2 (19-25, 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 15-8) Saturday at Kansas' Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence. TU middle blockers Jill Hanson and Campbell Hague combined for 32 kills and .531 hitting to help bring home the undefeated Golden Hurricane's eighth straight win to open the season.

The last time Tulsa started 8-0 or better was in 2000, when the Golden Hurricane started 10-0 and finished with 20 wins. A win tomorrow against No. 22 Kansas and victories against LSU and Miami (Fla.) next week would give the Golden Hurricane their best start to a season in program history.

After defeating the Jackrabbits on Saturday, the Golden Hurricane are now on an 18-match win streak against regular season non-conference teams and have won 15 of their last 16 matches dating back to last season.

"South Dakota State is a very good volleyball team, and I'm really proud of the way we competed and adapted throughout the match," said Head Coach Lauren Ramatowski. "We did a great job serving and played really good defense against two very talented outsides, holding them below their usual offensive numbers. The game changer for us was the way Campbell and Jill showed up offensively. Our middles were a force tonight, and we relied heavily on them to help us find a way through a strong team. Once again, this was a complete team win. What makes this group so special is our ability to adapt, stay connected and have different people step up in different moments. Everyone contributed to us played great volleyball tonight, and that's what this team is all about."

Hanson had one of the best games of her career, finishing with a career-high 17 kills and 10 blocks to earn her first double-double of the season and second of her career. The sophomore also earned a .600 hitting percentage, which stands as her fifth career match hitting that mark or better in a contest.

Hague stepped in to record a career-best 15 kills from the middle while also adding three aces and two rejections. The senior from Cheney, Kan., hit for .462 on the day.

Tulsa's 6-2 rotation on Saturday featured a pair of setters earn double-doubles of their own. Junior Brittany Bacorn led the Golden Hurricane with 33 assists and 15 digs for her fourth-double of the season, while freshman Lexi Dahl came in to add 20 assists and 10 digs for her second double-double this year.

Tulsa started the opening set with a block by Emma Blaine and Jill and a Maegan Mills kill to move ahead 3-1, but South Dakota State pushed in front 4-3 before Hanson and Campbell Hague kills helped Tulsa keep the set even through 11-11. SDSU scored the next four points to go ahead 15-11, and Tulsa got back within 15-13 on consecutive Mills kills before South Dakota State moved the margin back to 18-14. Hague and Olivia Vance answered with kills for Tulsa, but the Jackrabbits stretched the lead to 22-15 behind kills from Marisa Michaelis and Sylvie Zgonc and a Hannah Klein service ace. Tulsa closed within 23-19 after a South Dakota State service error and attack error, but the Jackrabbits took the final two points to win the set 25-19.

After the teams traded points to 2-2, Tulsa created the first separation with a Blaine kill and two South Dakota State errors for a 5-2 lead, then pushed the margin to 10-6 on Vance's kill and a block by Isabella Ocampo and Hanson. SDSU stayed within range and cut Tulsa's lead to 15-13 on consecutive Brooke Larsen kills, but Hague answered with a kill and Ocampo and Hanson combined on another block to move Tulsa back ahead 17-13. Tulsa led 20-16 after a Blaine kill, added a South Dakota State attack error and a Hague kill to reach 22-16, and after SDSU closed to 23-19, a service error gave Tulsa set point before Ocampo finished the 25-20 set with a kill.

Tulsa built an early 6-2 lead with kills from Hanson, Ocampo and Mills and a Rachel Megna ace, but South Dakota State moved back within 8-6 on a Tulsa attack error. Hague put down a kill for 9-6 and then served four straight Tulsa points, including two aces, an Ocampo kill and a South Dakota State attack error, to make it 13-6. After the Jackrabbits got back to 13-9 on Hannah Klein's kill, Tulsa pushed the margin to 18-10 with Brittany Bacorn's ace, a block by Blaine and Hanson, and another Ocampo kill among the next six points. Tulsa reached 21-11 on consecutive South Dakota State attack errors and 24-15 on a Vance kill before Hanson closed the set at 25-17 with a kill from Lexi Dahl.

After South Dakota State scored the first two points of the fourth set, Tulsa won five straight behind an Ocampo kill, a Hanson kill from Bacorn, consecutive Ocampo service aces and a SDSU setting error to move ahead 5-2. Tulsa later led 7-3 on Blaine's kill, but the Jackrabbits answered with five straight points to go ahead 8-7 before Hague's kill tied it at 8-8. The set stayed tight through the middle stages, with Mikey Freeman, Hanson and Hague helping Tulsa regain one-point leads before Hague's service ace put Tulsa in front 20-18. South Dakota State tied it at 21-21 and, after Hanson's kill gave Tulsa a 22-21 lead, used a Tulsa service error, a Kennedey Whitford service ace and a Sylvie Zgonc kill to reach 24-22; Hanson answered once for Tulsa, but Hannah Klein's kill closed the set for South Dakota State, 25-23.

Hanson helped Tulsa move in front early with kills for 1-0 and 3-1, and after the Jackrabbits pulled within 3-2, Vance, Dahl, Blaine and Hague contributed to a stretch that put Tulsa ahead 6-2. South Dakota State traded points from there, but Ocampo's kill and a block by Hanson and Blaine gave Tulsa a 9-4 lead. Hanson added kills for 10-5 and 11-5, and Vance followed with a kill and a block assist with Hanson as Tulsa pushed the margin to 13-6. South Dakota State reached 14-8 on Brooke Larsen's kill, but Hague answered with the final kill from Bacorn to close the set 15-8.

The Tulsa volleyball team will end the week with a ranked showdown with No. 22 Kansas tomorrow, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m. at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

Tulsa's Top Performers
Jill Hanson
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- 17 kills
- .600 hitting percentage
- 10 blocks, including 2 solo
- 23.0 points

Campbell Hague
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- 15 kills
- .462 hitting percentage
- 3 service aces
- 19.0 points

Brittany Bacorn
----------------------
- 33 assists
- 15 digs
- 1 service ace

Lexi Dahl
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- 20 assists
- 10 digs
- 1 service ace
- 1 block

Emma Blaine
----------------------
- 7 kills
- 5 blocks
- 9.5 points

South Dakota State's Top Performers
Sylvie Zgonc
----------------------
- 23.5 points
- 22 kills
- 14 digs
- 2 blocks

Brooke Larsen
----------------------
- 23 assists
- 11 kills
- 11 digs
- 2 blocks

Joslyn Richardson
----------------------
- 21 digs
- 4 assists

Hannah Klein
----------------------
- 10 kills
- 8 digs
- 4 blocks
- 1 service ace

Match Notes:
- This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs, and it went down as a back-and-forth five-set win for TU.
- Tulsa is now 8-0 to start the year. The last time TU started 8-0 or better was in 2000, when the Golden Hurricane started 10-0 and finished 20-13.
- The Golden Hurricane are currently on an 18-match win streak against regular season non-conference teams.
- TU has won 15 of their last 16 matches dating back to last season.
- Hanson had a strong match for Tulsa, earning her second career double-double with 17 kills and 10 blocks.
- 17 kills for Hanson is a career-high. She also hit a season-high hitting percentage of .600.
- Hague helped Tulsa take control of the match with 15 kills, .462 hitting and three service aces.
- 15 kills is Hague's new career-best.
- Freshman Dahl filled in for the Golden Hurricane's 6-2 rotation, earning her second double-double of the season with 20 assists and 10 digs.
- Bacorn led Tulsa with 33 assists and 15 digs, good for her 11th career double-double and fourth this year.
- Ocampo boosted the TU defense with 14 digs, which stands as her sixth career double-digit dig performance and second in her Tulsa career.
- Tulsa's front line totaled 12 blocks to SDSU's 10.
- TU's attack was near-flawless in the fifth and final set. They earned eight kills on 11 attacks without an error for a .727 team hitting mark.

TICKETS
Single-game tickets are now on sale for $12 per ticket per match for ages 4 and older and can be purchased in advance at TulsaHurricane.com or at the entrance of the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Season tickets also start at just $50. Season ticket members will receive 1 (one) membership card per ticket that they order that will be good for all 2025 TU Volleyball regular-season home matches in the Reynolds Center.

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 SIGNUP
The Tulsa volleyball team is looking for ball kids for the 2026 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.