Sooners’ Season Ends in College Station

Thursday, December 5

College Station, Texas

4:30 PM

University of Oklahoma

19-9

Rice

27-3

Oklahoma

Rice

Photo by: Ty Russell

Sooners’ Season Ends in College Station

December 05, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Oklahoma volleyball team suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 21 Rice in the NCAA First Round at Reed Arena on Thursday afternoon. The Sooners finished the season at 19-9 overall, while the Owls move on with a record of 27-3. Oklahoma was swept by scores of 25-18, 25-22 and 25-19.

"This group was really special to us in the last two years, just in the turnaround of belief and being the ones to start the "new era" that we want to have as a vision for this program," head coach Lindsey Gray-Walton said. "These two (Paige Anderson & Brianna Kadiku) are part of it and I can't thank everyone in that room enough. They've allowed us and given us the support to do what we want to do and dream big. We're appreciative of that and we're not done yet."

The Owls out-hit OU .229-.119 in the contest as the Sooners trailed in kills, 44-30. Brianna Kadiku had 10 to pace the OU attack. Paige Anderson, Sarah Sanders and Ashlynn Dunbar all tallied six kills apiece.

Kylee McLaughlin recorded 26 assists and added seven digs and one kill.

Defensively, Keyton Kinley led the Sooners with 11 digs. OU had six blocks on the night with Anderson and Sanders getting in on four of them.

The Sooners trailed 8-1 early in the first set but fought back within one at 15-14. The Owls would use a 10-4 run to take the first frame, 25-18. The second set saw nine ties and three lead changes with Rice ultimately taking it, 25-22. Rice took the final set, 25-19.

The 2019 season marked the first time since the 2014 season that the Sooners appeared in the NCAA Tournament. This was the 12^th tournament appearance for the Sooners who are now 10-12 all-time.

"Tonight, was a great experience for us," Gray-Walton said. "Are we happy with the outcome? No. No competitor ever is. Definitely a life lesson and moment that we can learn from."

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