The Golden Grizzlies fell short to the Milwaukee Panthers in a three-set match on Friday, Oct. 13, at the OU Credit Union O’Rena.
The Golden Grizzlies took the initial lead when they managed to secure their first hit with a Libby Gentile kill — the offensive powerhouse for the Golden Grizzlies, who made a statement, showcasing her skills with five kills early in the match. However, the Golden Grizzlies’ lead was short-lived, as the Milwaukee Panthers began to find their rhythm, remained on top and were in full control the rest of the set.
The Panthers’ Madi Malone contributed significantly to their game plan, with her powerful attacks from the left side leading Milwaukee to pile on points. Her middle attack marked her third kill in the set as she proved challenging for the Grizzlies.
Patti Cesarini’s kill, followed by her service ace, gave the Grizzlies a much-needed boost, temporarily bringing the match within reach as the Panthers were only up 4 points, 15-11, until the Panthers struck again and had the Grizzlies on their heels. A well-timed block by the Panthers concluded the first set.
Despite the Grizzlies’ efforts, Gentile’s performance with five kills stood out as a major bright spot for Oakland.
In the second set, Gentile picked up right where she left off. She again made her presence felt by securing her sixth kill, which immediately put the Grizzlies on the scoreboard first. The Grizzlies started finding success in the middle, which made the match more competitive, but Milwaukee started showing signs their right side was really working well and stuck with it all throughout, and the Panthers ended up taking set 2.
“I mean, they’re playing exactly like how we expected them to, right? They have a boatload of confidence, and I think they’re a really steady team,” head coach Krista Rice said. “We talked about this coming into the match — that they’re incredibly balanced. They have a lot of great options, but we just need to execute our game plan better.”
The Grizzlies started off the third set stronger than before, showing their defensive prowess, and the execution was starting to show more. Emily Wichmann played a huge role and was the key to their defense.
With her incredible saves, the Grizzlies’ intensity started to uplift. Cesarini’s powerful hits also began to change the tide as the Grizzlies clawed their way back into the match at 8-6. As the teams kept rallying, the Grizzlies found themselves unable to get the ball over the net when serving, which was in the Panthers’ favor. That was the start of their 7-2 run, and they took a commanding 12-6 lead.
It was clear that although the Grizzlies stepped up at the beginning of this set, the Panthers, on their end, maintained their momentum. They were consistent in all areas of the match, effectively denying any comeback attempts by the Grizzlies.
Despite the Grizzlies’ pursuit of a comeback, the Panthers had an answer for every run. The match ended with the Panthers taking the third set to win the match, improving their record to 7-1 in Horizon League play.
The Grizzlies fought hard but were unable to overcome the Panthers’ superior performance in a three-set match that underlined their strength in Horizon League play.
Some standout performances include Libby Gentile, who had a team-high nine kills. Rachel Rossman and Sarah Turner had 11 assists. Ainsley Guse had four kills, while Emily Wichmann had 13 incredible digs.
Next, the Golden Grizzlies will face the Colonials of Robert Morris on Friday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.
