Sooners Drop Five-Set Match to Cincinnati

Friday, November 17

Cincinnati Ohio

5 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

9-16,2-13Big 12

Cincinnati

12-13,5-10Big 12

Oklahoma

Cincinnati

Sooners Drop Five-Set Match to Cincinnati

November 17, 2023 | Volleyball

Box Score Gamebook

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Oklahoma volleyball team dropped a five-set match to Cincinnati Friday night, 22-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-25, 14-16.

Three Sooners had double-digit kills on the night, led by Alexis Shelton's 29. Shelton was just shy of a double-double with nine digs and just one kill off her career-high of 30. Lydia Burts added 13 kills on the night to go with four blocks and Taylor Preston recorded 10 kills, three blocks and two digs.

Payton Chamberlain paced the offense with her eighth double-double of the season, recording 55 assists and 10 digs. Callie Kemohah added 17 digs on the night and Sydyney Thompson chipped in 10.

After winning the opening point, the Sooners gave up four-straight points to the Bearcats. OU rallied with a 4-0 and the teams traded points to the first media timeout with the Sooners holding the 15-14 lead. Out of the timeout, Cincinnati used an 8-1 run to take a 22-16 lead. A kill from Chamberlain stopped the run and the Sooners swung the momentum to pull within one at 22-21. The Bearcats would ultimately take the set 25-22.

In the second set, the Sooners trailed Cincinnati by five early. OU closed the gap at 18-15 on a kill from Preston and continued their run to tie the set at 20-all. A solo block from Burts gave OU its first lead of the set at 22-21. The Sooners would take the set, 25-22, to tie the match.

OU took a quick 3-0 lead to open the third set. The Bearcats tied the set and the teams would trade points through the first timeout with OU leading 15-13. Out of the timeout, the Sooners used a 7-1 run to take a 22-14 lead before taking the set 25-17.

Cincinnati took a 4-0 lead in the first set, but the Sooners quickly tied the match at 4-all. The Sooners took their first lead of the set on a Bearcat error, 7-6. At the media timeout, Cincinnati led 15-14. Out of the timeout, the Bearcats used a 10-1 run to take the set, 25-15.

The Sooners won the opening point of the fifth set and held a 5-3 lead as Cincinnati called timeout. At the switch, the Sooners led 8-7. Cincinnati closed the gap at 10-9 to force an OU timeout. The Bearcats took the lead at 12-11 but the Sooners came back to have match-point at 14-13. Cincinnati would use a 3-0 run to take the final set, 16-14.

The Sooners and Bearcats will take the court again tomorrow night at 5 p.m. CT inside Fifth Third Arena.