TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's volleyball team earned a thrilling five-set win against Oklahoma on Friday night in Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (12-13, 5-10 Big 12) opened their two-match series versus the Sooners with a 16-14 fifth-set win.
Junior Abby Walker dominated on the right side, finishing with a team-high 17 kills. She did not commit an attacking error on 31 swings for an efficient .548 hitting percentage. She chipped in four blocks and an ace in the victory.
Freshman Zeta Washington (15) and senior Elissa Alcantara (13) also finished with double-digit kills. Washington added a match-high, career-high seven blocks.
Defensively, the Bearcats were led by graduate student libero Carly Skrabak, who posted a match-high 20 digs. UC also outblocked Oklahoma, 14 to six.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | A pair of kills from Alcantara tied up the set at seven apiece. With the set tied at 14 all, the Bearcats used an 8-1 scoring run to lead 22-16. The Sooners responded five straight to pull within one (22-21), but a solo block from Washington silenced the run. UC claimed the opening set, 25-22.
SET 2 | The Bearcats went on a 4-0 run to force an Oklahoma timeout (10-5). Back-to-back kills from Washington and Katelyn Lefler extended UC's advantage to six (14-8). Cincinnati led 18-12 before Oklahoma roared back to take the second set, 25-22.
SET 3 | Carly Glendinning accounted for two aces in a 4-0 run for the Bearcats (8-6). The Sooners later used a 3-0 spurt to reclaim the lead for the remainder of the set. Oklahoma went up 2-1 in the match after winning the third frame, 25-17.
SET 4 | Cincinnati scored the first four points of the fourth set, but Oklahoma responded by taking the next four. Trailing 12-10, Walker put down back-to-back kills, followed by a Kayla Hostetler service ace (13-12). UC then rattled off 11 straight points to force a fifth set, winning the fourth frame, 25-15.
SET 5 | UC trailed 5-3 in the early going of the fifth set. The Bearcats scored the next three points before Oklahoma went on a 4-0 run (10-7). Three straight kills, including a dig-kill from Skrabak, tied up the set at 10 all. With the set once again tied at 13 apiece, the Bearcats scored the final three points to win the frame, 16-14, and match, 3-2.
The Bearcats (12-13, 5-10 Big 12) opened their two-match series versus the Sooners with a 16-14 fifth-set win.
Junior Abby Walker dominated on the right side, finishing with a team-high 17 kills. She did not commit an attacking error on 31 swings for an efficient .548 hitting percentage. She chipped in four blocks and an ace in the victory.
Freshman Zeta Washington (15) and senior Elissa Alcantara (13) also finished with double-digit kills. Washington added a match-high, career-high seven blocks.
Defensively, the Bearcats were led by graduate student libero Carly Skrabak, who posted a match-high 20 digs. UC also outblocked Oklahoma, 14 to six.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | A pair of kills from Alcantara tied up the set at seven apiece. With the set tied at 14 all, the Bearcats used an 8-1 scoring run to lead 22-16. The Sooners responded five straight to pull within one (22-21), but a solo block from Washington silenced the run. UC claimed the opening set, 25-22.
SET 2 | The Bearcats went on a 4-0 run to force an Oklahoma timeout (10-5). Back-to-back kills from Washington and Katelyn Lefler extended UC's advantage to six (14-8). Cincinnati led 18-12 before Oklahoma roared back to take the second set, 25-22.
SET 3 | Carly Glendinning accounted for two aces in a 4-0 run for the Bearcats (8-6). The Sooners later used a 3-0 spurt to reclaim the lead for the remainder of the set. Oklahoma went up 2-1 in the match after winning the third frame, 25-17.
SET 4 | Cincinnati scored the first four points of the fourth set, but Oklahoma responded by taking the next four. Trailing 12-10, Walker put down back-to-back kills, followed by a Kayla Hostetler service ace (13-12). UC then rattled off 11 straight points to force a fifth set, winning the fourth frame, 25-15.
SET 5 | UC trailed 5-3 in the early going of the fifth set. The Bearcats scored the next three points before Oklahoma went on a 4-0 run (10-7). Three straight kills, including a dig-kill from Skrabak, tied up the set at 10 all. With the set once again tied at 13 apiece, the Bearcats scored the final three points to win the frame, 16-14, and match, 3-2.