Sooners Sweep Illini to Open Irish Invitational

Friday, September 8

South Bend, Ind.

5 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

5-1,0-0Big 12

Illinois

4-3,0-0Big Ten

Oklahoma

Illinois

Sooners Sweep Illini to Open Irish Invitational

September 08, 2023 | Volleyball

Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Oklahoma volleyball team picked up their second sweep of the season, taking down Illinois to open the Irish Invitational inside Purcell Pavilion Friday evening.

The Sooners (5-1) took down the Illini (3-3) 25-16, 25-22, 25-20 to earn their first sweep since the opening match of the season.

Taylor Preston led the way with 15 kills, including eight in the second set alone, hitting at a .457 mark. Alexis Shelton recorded double-digit kills for the fifth consecutive match with 12. Lydia Burts added nine kills on a .444 clip and Hannah Pfiffner chipped in eight.

Payton Chamberlain recorded her third double-double of the season with 34 assists and 14 digs. Callie Kemohah tallied 11 digs and Daleigh Ellison added eight.

The defense recorded 10 blocks on the night, with Ellison leading the way with five and Shelton and Burts each with four. The Sooners also held the Illini to a .180 hitting percentage.

After trading points early, Ellison recorded back-to-back aces to give OU the 7-5 lead. The Sooners jumped out to an 11-8 lead, but the Illini fought back to tie it on a 3-0 scoring run. Shelton got hot with three-straight kills and the Sooners used a 11-2 run to take a 22-13 lead. Preston's second kill of the day gave OU set point and a block from Preston and Pfiffner sealed the first set, 25-16.

The Sooners went up 4-2 early but an Illinois scoring run gave the Illini a 5-4 lead. OU took a 7-6 lead, but a pair of errors put Illinois in front 9-7. Preston notched back-to-back kills to bring the Sooners within one at 12-11. OU pulled even at 13-all off Preston's sixth kill of the set. A kill from Shelton put the Sooners in front, 17-16. OU was the first to 20, taking a 21-18 lead off a kill from Burts. The teams would trade the final eight points with a kill from Shelton giving OU the set, 25-22.

Back-to-back kills from Shelton and a kill from Burts had the Sooners up 3-0 to start the third set. OU pushed the lead to 10-7 off a kill from Pfiffner on a long rally. The squad extended the lead to five off a Chamberlain ace. A block from Burts and Preston gave the Sooners a 15-8 advantage. Pfiffner recorded back-to-back kills as the Sooners took a 22-12 lead. Illinois fought off multiple set points but the dagger from Preston clinched the match for OU.

The Sooners will return to the court for the final match of the Irish Invitational Saturday at 1 p.m. CT against Notre Dame.