BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Oklahoma Wesleyan University Women's Volleyball delivered a complete performance on its home floor Wednesday, sweeping Southwestern College in straight sets 25-16, 25-15, 25-23 inside the Mueller Sports Center.
The Lady Eagles controlled the match at the net, combining an efficient offensive attack with a strong blocking presence to secure the 3-0 victory and improve to 7-12 overall and 1-2 in conference play. OKWU finished the night with 41 kills while hitting .262 as a team, compared with Southwestern's 28 kills and .037 hitting percentage.
Oklahoma Wesleyan established its rhythm immediately in the opening set. The Lady Eagles put away 16 kills on 34 swings with only four attacking errors, producing a .353 hitting percentage en route to a convincing 25-16 first-set victory.
The Eagles continued to apply pressure in the second frame, particularly with their defense at the net. Southwestern struggled to terminate offensively, recording just four kills against 10 errors and finishing the set with a negative hitting percentage. OKWU capitalized on those miscues and took the second set 25-15 to move within one frame of the sweep.
Southwestern pushed back in the third, forcing OKWU into its tightest set of the match. With the Moundbuilders attempting to extend the contest, the Lady Eagles responded with 17 kills in the final frame and hit .302. OKWU executed down the stretch and closed out the set 25-23, completing the straight-set victory.
Maria Andrea Santa Cruz Cossich powered the Oklahoma Wesleyan attack, putting away a match-high 16 kills. Maia Rubio added 10 kills to give the Eagles another double-digit attacker, while Anja Grkinic contributed nine kills.
Grkinic also anchored an imposing OKWU block, finishing with six blocks. Santa Cruz Cossich added three blocks and Rubio contributed two as the Lady Eagles totaled 10 blocks, more than doubling Southwestern's four. That presence at the net helped disrupt the Moundbuilders' offensive rhythm throughout the match.
The setters kept the offense balanced and in system, with Jaylea Laughlin recording 22 assists and Ana Vitoria Vian adding 16. From the service line, Rubio supplied additional pressure with a match-high three aces as OKWU finished with six aces as a team.
Defensively, Maria Luisa Caycedo paced the back row with 13 digs, while Rubio completed a strong all-around performance with 11 digs. Karsyn Williamson chipped in eight as the Lady Eagles held a 54-43 advantage in digs and consistently extended rallies to create transition opportunities.
From first serve to match point, Oklahoma Wesleyan dictated the tempo with efficient swings, disciplined floor defense and a commanding presence above the net. The straight-set victory gave the Lady Eagles an important conference win and another strong performance in front of their home crowd.
Final: Oklahoma Wesleyan 3, Southwestern 0
Set Scores: 25-16, 25-15, 25-23
