TicketsSept. 2, 2011
DENTON, TEXAS - After coming so close twice to beating ranked teams, the Bearcats finally proved they can be among the nation's best when they beat no. 17 Oklahoma Friday evening in the first match of the North Texas Invitational 3-1 (25-20, 26-24, 26-24, 25-18).
The Bearcats were lead by junior Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) and senior Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati,Ohio/Mother of Mercy). Scott lead all players with 19 kills and a .385 percentage. She also recorded 3 aces and 5 block assists. Harpenau recorded 15 kills and lead all players with 18 digs. Freshman Caylin Mahoney (Fort Worth, Texas/Keller Central) did well in her homecoming to Texas. She led the match with 42 assists. She had another double-double as she recorded 10 digs as well.
Junior Becca Refenes (Westland, Mich./Lutheran Westland) led the defense at the net in the middle as she recorded a solo block and 6 block assists to add to the team's season-high 12 blocks.
Scott started the Bearcats off right in the fourth set with two kills for a score of 4-2. Turner added one of her own a few points later for a score of 6-4. After a block from Harpenau and Refenes was kept alive by the Sooners, Refenes ran to the other side and added another block with Mahoney to make the score 7-5. A kill by Mahoney and yet another block by Scott and Harpenau added to the Bearcat lead 11-6. Hustle by Brianna Richey (Tiffin, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudin), gave the Bearcats another point 12-6. A dig and several serves from sophomore libero Emily MacIntyre (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) increased the lead 16-8. The Sooners then went on another 4-0 run to bring the score to 16-12. A kill by Refenes and several rallies that went in both teams' favors brought the score to 20-16. A booming Turner kill got the Bearcats one point closer to the match at 23-17. The Bearcats won the set and the match 25-18.
The Sooners started with the lead in the third set 3-2 until Turner tied the score at 3 with a kill. After several rallies and a yellow card, the Sooners found themselves on top 8-5. Harpenau and Scott then added another block to make the score 9-7. An ace from the Sooners led to a Bearcat timeout a point later at 10-7. Junior Emily Hayden (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) put down a cross-court kill to put the Bearcats closer 12-8. Scott boomed a kill down the line and then added an ace along with a Refenes kill to put the Bearcats within one 13-12. The momentum continued on the Bearcats' side with a score of 20-15. Mahoney and Hayden put up a big block to bring the score to 21-15. The Sooners got a run to a score of 23-21. With the Bearcats a point away from the set at 24-22, the Sooners fought to make it within one at 24-23 which resulted in a Bearcat timeout. A block by Megan Turner (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne Central) and Refenes sealed the third set victory 26-24.
A tie started the second set at 3-3 with a Scott kill. Mahoney added a joust win to bring the Bearcats to the lead 6-5. Harpenau and Refenes put a block down on the other side to make the score 8-6. MacIntyre then ran from one side of the court to the other for a diving save that turned into a kill for a score of 9-9. A long rally with hustle from both teams lead to Oklahoma's first lead of the match at 12-10. The Sooners continued that lead until Sunahara called a timeout at 16-12. Kills from Turner and Harpenau out of the break narrowed the deficit to 16-14. Another Harpenau kill lead to a tie score at 16 and a Sooner timeout. The momentum switched to the Bearcats' side when they gained the lead 20-17 off the serve of Refenes. The Sooners fought back with a 4-1 run to tie the score at 21. With the score tied at 24, the Sooners added a kill to gain the advantage. Ultimately, the Sooners would keep that lead to win the set 26-24.
The first set began with a quick Bearcat lead on the serve of MacIntyre. Scott and Refenes teamed up for a block and Scott slammed down a kill to make the score 5-1. Turner then added a kill of her own to increase the lead to 8-3. The Sooners went on a 4-0 run before the Bearcats could earn a point for a score of 9-7. The score continued to be close for the next few rallies, but the Bearcats stayed ahead 16-13. Refenes kept the Bearcats ahead by three after she put up a solo block in the middle to make the score 18-15. The blocking trend continued when Harpenau and Hayden teamed up immediately after and Mahoney added a solo block of her own to put the Bearcats up 20-15. A timeout was called by the Sooners at 22-16. The set ended with an overpass kill by Refenes 25-20. The front row shut down the Sooners' offense in the set with 4 blocks, compared to Oklahoma's 0.
The Bearcats will be in action again tomorrow against Sam Houston State at 1:30 p.m. and host school North Texas at 7:00 p.m. to continue to North Texas Invitational.