BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – After dropping the season-opener to Oklahoma Wesleyan back on Sept. 5, the Mid-America Christian volleyball team was able to get some revenge on the Eagles as Mid-America Christian won a 3-2 thriller in its first road match of the season on Monday night.
Senior libero
Maegan Plunk made history for the Evangels by shattering the program's NAIA era (2007-present) record for the most digs in a match with 46, topping the previous best of 38 set by Shelbi Johnson against Friends (Kan.) on Oct. 9, 2010.
SCORE
- Mid-America Christian 3, Oklahoma Wesleyan 2 (25-23, 25-23, 19-25, 25-27, 15-11)
- Mid-America Christian (2-1 overall)
- Oklahoma Wesleyan (4-1 overall)
STAT LEADERS
GAME SUMMARY
- Set One
- After falling behind by three points early, the Evangels pulled out in-front by stringing together an 8-2 run midway through the set to make it a 15-12 lead. Foecker ignited the run with five unanswered by slapping an attack just inside the backline followed by a Kaylie Walker service ace, another Foecker kill, a kill by Faith Foutch and an OKWU net violation to force Oklahoma Wesleyan to call a timeout.
- The Eagles rallied back with five straight of their own to take a 19-17 lead to force MACU Head Coach Holly McKamie to take a timeout of her own.
- With Oklahoma Wesleyan leading 21-18, MACU fought back by scoring on seven of the final nine rallies as Foutch got the defense to block her attack out of bounds to give the Evangels the 25-23 set one victory.
- Set Two
- Neither team led by more than two points through the first 24 rallies until Mid-America Christian rattled off three in a row off of a pair of OKWU errors and a Foutch kill to hold a 15-12 edge.
- After Oklahoma Wesleyan fought back to tie the set at 19-all, back-to-back kills by Foecker and Maddie Callicoat to made it a 21-19 MACU advantage. However, Oklahoma Wesleyan was able to scramble back to tie the match at 23.
- Following an Eagles service error out of a MACU timeout, Ryann Hale fired a serve down the left sideline that the Eagles were unable to handle for the set-winning ace, allowing MACU to escape with another 25-23 win.
- Set Three
- Despite being tied after the first four rallies, Oklahoma Wesleyan rattled off six straight to take an 8-2 lead.
- The Eagles expanded upon its lead to as much as 11 at 22-11.
- Mid-America Christian battled back by scoring eight of the next 10 points to make it a five-point set at 24-19, but a MACU service error stopped the rally to give Oklahoma Wesleyan the set three win.
- Set Four
- Trailing midway through the set, Mid-America Christian strung together five straight on a Foutch kill, a block by Callicoat and Foutch, a pair of Morgan Van Meir service aces as well as an OKWU attack error to take a 19-15 advantage.
- Despite holding a 22-18 edge late, Oklahoma Wesleyan scored off of six straight rallies to force set point at 24-22.
- MACU kept the set alive on back-to-back kills by Foutch and Foecker, but Oklahoma Wesleyan scored three of the final four points for the 27-25 win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
- Set Five
- The Evangels scored the first six points, starting off the run with an Allison Porter kill followed by a Foutch solo block, three straight Foecker kills and Porter wrapped up the run with block to make it a 6-0 game.
- The Eagles closed the gap to two at 8-6, but Mid-America Christian answered back with four unanswered featuring yet another Foecker kill to set the score to 12-6.
- After bringing the match to set point at 14-9, Oklahoma Wesleyan tallied a pair of points to set the score to 14-11. However, the Evangels quickly ended the rally on Porter's kill tooled off the block up the middle to close out the 15-11 victory.
UP NEXT
Mid-America Christian will return to the road next week as the Evangels will travel to Wichita, Kansas on Tuesday, Sept. 22 to compete in a tri-match hosted by Friends University. MACU will take on the Bethel College Threshers at 5 p.m. before closing out with a 7 p.m. matchup with the host Falcons.
