The Golden Grizzlies Volleyball faced off in a non-conference matchup against Bowling Green on Wednesday, Sept. 17, where they fell in three sets.
Oakland started the first set with a strong 3-0 lead thanks to Molly Reck’s consecutive aces. Despite the lead and their competitive spirits, they faced a challenge mid-game as the Falcons went on a ten-point run to take an 18-7 lead and ultimately closed out the set 25-17.
The second set started strong, with the Grizzlies having a strong defense at the net, where back-to-back blocks from Grace Cooney and Libby Smith gave Oakland a 3-1lead. Unfortunately, the Falcons took advantage of the Grizzlies’ consistent attacking errors and wrapped up the set 25-14.
The third set began with the Falcons taking the lead, and the Grizzlies struggled to keep up. Despite trailing, OU found momentum with an ace from Kiley Gallagher and a block from Anika Prisby, closing the gap to 8-15. The Falcons ultimately were able to take the set despite Oakland’s strong offensive moves throughout.
The Grizzlies then took a weekend trip to Indianapolis to face Butler and Eastern Michigan in the Butler Invitational, where they fell to Eastern on Friday, 0-3, and Butler on Saturday, 0-3.
Friday’s game against Eastern started with the Eagles getting the lead, and the Grizzlies fought back to tie it back up 8-8 thanks to a pair of kills from Libby Smith. Eastern was still able to pull away on a 5-0 run to close out the set 25-17.
The second set turned out to be the most difficult game of the week, with the Eagles pulling away quickly and the Grizzlies not being able to catch back up, losing the set 25-7. The Grizzlies then got their energy back for the third set and took the lead 14-10 thanks to Caroline Moore’s accurately placed kills. However, a late push from Eastern resulted in them taking the set and the game 26-24.
The Grizzlies regrouped and played Butler on Saturday, where the starting lineup, consisting of four freshmen, showed glimpses of resilience. They opened the first set with Butler gaining momentum and the Grizzlies trailing behind 6-3. Critical kills from OU’s Ella Martin and Olivia Rust kept the set competitive and the gap small. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and Butler took the set 25-22.
The second set started with a fight for the lead until Ellen Zapp placed a service ace, giving the Grizzlies a 6-3 lead. Butler then clapped back with several kills and ultimately pulled ahead mid-set. Despite a late push back from the Grizzlies, Butler was able to take advantage of Oakland’s errors and took the second set 25-18.
In the third set, Butler took an early 2-0 lead. Oakland’s Libby Smith responded with several kills and a crucial block to cut into Butler’s 16-9 lead. A late rush from Smith, providing back-to-back kills, took the gap to 23-18, but OU was unable to close the gap completely and lost the set 25-18.
The Grizzlies will now look to start their Horizon League play and secure their first victory of the season. They will face off on the road against Milwaukee on Friday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. in the Klotsche Center.
