Oakland University’s volleyball team suffered a heart-breaking loss to UMKC Saturday, in a match with a conference tournament berth on the line.

 

The Golden Grizzlies lost 3-2 in five sets to the Kangaroos, a disappointing end to a record-setting season.

 

OU finished the season with a 17-10 record (10-8 in conference) narrowly missing out on their first-ever appearance in the Summit League Tournament.

 

But taken as a whole, the season can be viewed as a resounding success for Oakland, whose previous season high in victories was eight, making this season a nine-win improvement over last year’s campaign.

 

After the match, head coach Rob Beam said he was pleased with the way his team performed, despite the tough loss.

 

“UMKC has been the hottest team in the second half of the year. Our team played outstanding volleyball, and I’m really proud of their effort,” he said.

 

The Grizzlies held a 2-1 lead in sets before UMKC rallied to victory, winning the sudden death fifth set 15-12. Beam said he asked his team to play each point with lots of enthusiasm heading into the final set, but UMKC ultimately prevailed to end the match.

 

“UMKC played better than we did. They killed the ball, we killed more balls but we made errors and I think that was really the story of the whole match. They were just more offensively consistent,” Beam said.

 

Sophomore Ashley Nevelle recorded 51 assists, while three Oakland players finished with double-digit kills, with a team-leading 22 by freshman Meghan Bray.

 

Oakland’s struggles in the final weeks of the season can be partially attributed to the loss of senior captain Adrienne Leone to an injury. Beam said that Leone is one of the best players in the conference and that he was proud of the way the younger players were able to fill in for her.

 

“I love our team and I love our future, but I’m also proud of our seniors tonight,” he said.

 

The Grizzlies appear to be in a position to improve on their accomplishments next season, as the team’s entire starting lineup will return.