On Friday, Oct. 27, the Oakland University volleyball team defeated the North Kentucky University (NKU) Norse in a thrilling match at the OU Credit Union O’rena.
The first set of the night opened with both teams trading points; however, the Norse started to pull away. After multiple runs, NKU led the Grizzlies 11-6.
Despite the early Norse lead, the Grizzlies started to ramp up their energy and answered with three straight kills, resulting in a 4-0 run as they trailed NKU by a single point.
However, late into the set, the Norse took control, denying any chance at a Grizzly comeback, and came away as winners of the set, outscoring the Grizzlies 25-21.
In the second set, the Norse dominated the early stages, jumping to a 10-2 lead. Eventually, the Grizzlies started to match the Norse’s momentum as both teams traded away points.
After the exchange, OU scored five straight points, highlighted by two consecutive aces from Kennedy Dolmage, to bring them within three points of the Norse, as they trailed 13-10.
Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, the three-point deficit was as close as they got to a comeback. NKU remained in control the rest of the set, taking a 2-0 set lead over the Grizzlies with a final score of 25-19.
In the third set of the night, the Grizzlies trailed the Norse at the start of the set 3-1.
However, despite the slow start for the Grizzlies, the team was much more collected as a whole compared to their previous two sets, and OU eventually tied the set at four points a piece.
“I think in sets one and two, we were trying to always catch up,” assistant coach Rick Wootten-Smith said. “We made some small mistakes and weren’t focused on our game. We get to set three, and we really decided to put the foot on the gas and put more pressure on them, especially from the service line, and whenever we got a chance to attack, we just swung hard.”
A few possessions later, the Grizzlies took their first lead of the set at 8-7, and after a sole NKU point, OU followed up with an 8-1 run, giving them a comfortable seven-point lead.
Although NKU went on some late runs and eventually tied the set, the Grizzlies scored five straight points, highlighted by two more aces from Dolmage, to end the third set as victors.
In the fourth set, the Grizzlies kept up their energy, going on an early 3-0 run as they led the Norse 7-4. Despite some pushback from the Norse throughout the set, some clever timeouts from head coach Krista Rice prevented NKU from capitalizing on any runs.
Late into the set, NKU trailed by as little as two points; however, two straight kills from Rachel Rossman and Patti Cesarini propelled the Grizzlies to secure a commanding five-point lead, and OU ultimately came away victorious with a set score of 25-21.
In the decisive fifth and final set of the night, the Grizzlies had an immense amount of momentum on their side. After multiple 4-0 runs, the Norse trailed 10-4, and the Grizzlies left them no breathing room.
Following two consecutive kills from Libby Gentile and Ainsley Guse, the Grizzlies sealed the deal, winning both the match and the final set 15-10, breaking NKU’s five-game winning streak.
Notably, this is the first time since 2019 that the Grizzlies have battled back from a 2-0 set deficit and won the match.
“It’s a big win,” Wootten-Smith said. “It just sets the tone for the last final stretch of our season. I think we’re gonna surprise some teams.”
Next, the Grizzlies will battle the Cleveland State Vikings on the road on Friday, Nov. 3.
