Sooners Go Undefeated at Gonzaga Invitational

Sunday, September 5

Spokane, WA

4:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

3-3,0-0Big 12

Gonzaga

3-3,0-0WCC

Oklahoma

Gonzaga

Photo by: Ty Russell

Sooners Go Undefeated at Gonzaga Invitational

September 05, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score Gamebook

NORMAN – The Oklahoma volleyball team closed out the Gonzaga Invitational with a 3-0 sweep of host Gonzaga Sunday afternoon inside the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre in Spokane, Wash.

OU (3-3) took down the Zags (3-3) 25-20, 27-25, 25-22 to win its third straight match and second straight sweep.

The Sooners finished the weekend undefeated at the tournament, dropping just one set across three matches. After dropping the second set to Air Force on Friday, the Sooners won eight consecutive sets.

The Sooners hit over .300 in every set with a match-best .414 in the opening frame. OU outhit Gonzaga .340 to .218. Out out-killed Zags 51-39 while also leading in blocks (11.0-2.0) and assists (45-37). Each team recorded 36 digs on the night.

Freshman Megan Wilson was just one kill shy of her career best, notching 18 on the night. Wilson has now recorded at least 15 kills in every match this season. Wilson made just three errors on 35 attempts as she hit on a .429 clip.

Olivia Curtis added 14 kills on a .333 clip, while Kristen Birmingham chipped in seven.

Setter Peyton Dunn proved she could do it all collecting 39 assists, six blocks, five digs and five kills. This was the fourth match of the season where she recorded at least 35 kills.

Defensively, Dunn teamed up with Kelsey Carrington to assist on six blocks to lead all players. Paige Anderson and Birmingham each got in on three. Libero Callie Kemohah tallied 11 digs with Curtis adding seven and Sam Anthony chipping in six.

The Sooners came out firing on all cylinders in set one, storming to a 6-0 lead and forcing the Zags to call timeout. With the score at 10-3, the Sooners had seven kills on eight attempts, led by four from Curtis. OU used a 6-4 run capped off by a block from Dunn and Carrington to take a 16-7 lead. Gonzaga used a late 6-0 run to get within 24-19, but Curtis picked up her sixth kill of the set to give OU the advantage with a 25-20 set win.

OU kept the momentum going in the second set to take it 27-25. The teams traded points early on to bring the score to a 5-5 tie. A service ace from Anthony capped off a 4-1 run by the Sooners that gave them a three-point advantage, 10-7. Wilson picked up a pair of back-to-back kills during a 5-2 run by OU that forced Gonzaga to call timeout. Out of the break, Gonzaga used a 6-2 run to pull within two. The match stayed close as Gonzaga pulled even at 24-all. After a kill from Wilson brought up match point, a Bulldog error allowed the Sooners to clinch the 2-0 lead.

In the final set, the Sooners jumped on a 3-0 run before the Zags climbed back to take a 6-5 lead. Wilson's 13^th kill of the game gave Oklahoma a 14-9 lead early on. Gonzaga used a 4-0 run to pull within one and force a Sooners timeout. Out of the break, the Sooners picked up kills from Wilson and Curtis to extend the lead. With a four-point lead, the Sooners held off a late attack to take the set 25-22.

The Sooners are back in action Sept. 10-12 at the Georgia Tech Classic in Atlanta, Ga. OU will face Mississippi State and Indiana on Sept. 10 and host Georgia Tech on Sept. 12.

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