OTTAWA, Kan. — Oklahoma Wesleyan University Women's Volleyball battled through three sets Wednesday evening but was unable to overcome Ottawa University, falling 3-0 inside Wilson Field House.
The Lady Eagles pushed the Braves throughout the match, particularly in a tightly contested opening set, but Ottawa's presence at the net and pressure from the service line proved to be the difference. The Braves secured the match with set victories of 25-23, 25-17 and 25-19.
OKWU came out aggressive offensively in the opening frame, putting down 12 kills while hitting .206 as a team. The Lady Eagles traded points with Ottawa throughout the set and remained within striking distance late, but the Braves were able to close out the final rallies and take the opener, 25-23.
The second set saw Oklahoma Wesleyan struggle to establish the same offensive rhythm. Despite recording 10 kills, attacking errors slowed the Lady Eagles' momentum as Ottawa capitalized in transition and used its block to disrupt OKWU's attack. The Braves pulled away to take the frame, 25-17, and build a two-set advantage.
Facing a must-win third set, the Lady Eagles responded with their highest kill total of the match, putting away 15 attacks. OKWU continued to battle through extended rallies and looked to its pin hitters for production, but Ottawa answered at the net and maintained enough separation down the stretch to secure the set, 25-19, and complete the sweep.
Maria Andrea Santa Cruz Cossich paced the Oklahoma Wesleyan attack with 12 kills, hitting .259 on 27 swings. Amanda Schaffner added nine kills while hitting .200, and Maia Rubio contributed eight kills as the Lady Eagles finished with 37 kills as a team.
Setter Jaylea Laughlin directed the offense with 33 assists, accounting for the majority of OKWU's 35 assists. Laughlin also provided a spark from behind the service line, recording all three of the Lady Eagles' service aces.
Defensively, Maria Luisa Caycedo anchored the back row with a team-high 13 digs, while Rubio added eight. OKWU finished with 43 digs, outpacing Ottawa's 34 and keeping several rallies alive with strong floor defense.
At the net, Iva Mrkaic led the blocking effort with a solo block and a block assist. However, Ottawa's front-row defense ultimately played a significant role in the outcome, as the Braves finished with 10 total blocks compared to two for the Lady Eagles.
Oklahoma Wesleyan finished the match with 37 kills to Ottawa's 33 and held advantages in both assists, 35-30, and digs, 43-34. The difference came in efficiency at the net and from the service line, with Ottawa holding advantages in hitting percentage (.158-.125), blocks (10-2) and service aces (7-3).
Despite the setback, the Lady Eagles continued to show offensive production across multiple rotations and battled defensively throughout the match. Oklahoma Wesleyan moves to 7-11 overall and 1-1 in conference play as the Lady Eagles turn their attention toward their next matchup.
