OKLAHOMA CITY – Mid-America Christian Head Coach Holly McKamie earned her first career win with the Evangels as MACU split in its season-opening tri-match, falling 3-1 to Oklahoma Wesleyan in the early game before bouncing back with a three-set sweep against Science & Arts at the Gaulke Activity Center on Saturday.
GAME ONE / Mid-America Christian vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan
· SCORE
o Oklahoma Wesleyan 3, Mid-America Christian 1 (25-17, 21-25, 25-12, 25-19)
· STAT LEADERS
o Hanna Foecker – 8 kills
o Tiana Nihipali – 7 kills, .286 attack percentage
o Allison Porter – 6 kills, 3 total blocks
o Morgan Van Meir – 28 assists
o Maegan Plunk – 19 digs
o Kaylie Walker – 3 service aces
· GAME SUMMARY
o Set One
§ Oklahoma Wesleyan gained some separation midway through the set with a five unanswered run to extend its lead to 14-7.
§ Evangels narrowed the deficit to five after taking advantage of three Eagles attack errors to make it 19-14.
§ OKWU scored three of the last four points to win set one, 25-17.
o Set Two
§ Evangels rallied from an early 8-3 deficit by with a 6-2 run of their own thanks to a pair of kills from Nihipali and Desiree Brewer to close the gap to 10-9.
§ After the Eagles pushed its edge back to 13-10, Mid-America Christian went on an 11-3 spurt claim a 21-16 advantage. The run was highlighted by a pair of Walker service aces as well as a couple of kills from Foecker and Brewer.
§ With MACU holding a 24-18 lead, Oklahoma Wesleyan rattled off three straight to close the gap to three, prompting MACU Head Coach Holly McKamie to call a timeout. Out of the break, Foecker finished off the set with a kill to give MACU the 25-21 win.
o Set Three
§ The Eagles scored eight of the first 10 points to grab a firm advantage in set three.
§ Following an OKWU service error and a Faith Foutch service ace to shrink the MACU deficit to four, the Eagles pulled away by scoring nine of the next 11 rallies to extend their lead to 17-6.
§ With OKWU holding a 21-12 lead, the Eagles scored the final four points of the set to take a 2-1 advantage with a 25-12 set three victory.
o Set Four
§ After a Foecker kill and an assisted block by Brewer and Maddie Callicoat tied the set, Oklahoma Wesleyan gained the momentum by claiming 10 of the next 13 points, including a five unanswered run to hold a 14-7 advantage.
§ Mid-America Christian rattled off three straight, including kills from Callicoat and Foecker to make it an 18-13 game, but following an OKWU timeout, the Eagles scored five straight to push their edge back to 23-13.
§ The Evangels tried clawing back by scoring six of the next seven, but OKWU's Riley Barrick ended the match with a strong kill toward the backline to wrap up a 25-19 Eagles win.
GAME TWO / Mid-America Christian vs. Science & Arts
· SCORE
o Mid-America Christian 3, Science & Arts 0 (25-10, 26-24, 25-9)
· STAT LEADERS
o Hanna Foecker – 15 kills, .700 attack percentage
o Tiana Nihipali – 6 service aces
o Allison Porter – 6 kills, 3 total blocks
o Maegan Plunk – 13 digs
o Ryann Hale – 14 assists
· GAME SUMMARY
o Set One
§ Mid-America Christian jumped out to a 9-0 lead as the run was headlined by a trio of Foecker kills and a pair of Nihipali service aces.
§ The Drovers reduced the MACU advantage to six before the Evangels went on another strong six unanswered run that included a pair of Brewer kills.
§ The Evangels closed out the set with four unanswered as a Porter kill and another Nihipali service ace started the run followed by a pair of USAO attack errors, giving MACU the 25-10 set one win.
o Set Two
§ Science & Arts kept set two close midway through at 14-13 until MACU rattled off five of the next seven featuring kills from Callicoat, Foecker and Foutch to push its lead back to 21-17.
§ USAO went on a 5-0 run to grab a 22-21 advantage and after MACU answered back with two points on a service error and Porter kill, the Drovers put the Evangels on the brink on a Samiya West kill and Madison Garcia service ace to make it point for USAO at 24-23.
§ Following a Drovers service error, Foecker emphatically ended the set for MACU with kills on back-to-back rallies to close out the set in favor of the Evangels, 26-24.
o Set Three
§ The Evangels opened the third set by scoring on 11 of the first 13 rallies, including a run of six unanswered to open thanks in-part to Nihipali's three service aces.
§ Mid-America Christian extended its lead to 13 at 18-5 after scoring five straight that included kills from Callicoat and Rebecca Lindley.
§ MACU finished off the set by scoring on six of the last eight rallies, capped off on a Van Meir service ace to notch the 25-9 set win and complete the sweep.
NEXT UP
Mid-America Christian will look to avenge its loss to the Eagles on Monday, Sept. 14 as the Evangels will head to Bartlesville, Oklahoma to face Oklahoma Wesleyan in a 6 p.m. rematch.
