Point Lookout, MO - College of the Ozarks split two conference matches at home this weekend, defeating Southwestern Christian University 3-1 on Friday before falling 3-1 to Oklahoma City University on Saturday. The Lady Cats finished the two-match conference weekend with a 4-3 overall record and 1-1 in league play.

The Lady Cats opened the weekend with a 25-20, 25-16, 19-25, 25-15 victory over Southwestern Christian. College of the Ozarks broke a 2-2 tie in the opening set with an eight-point run that included two aces by Faith Klindworth. Southwestern Christian answered with six straight points, but the Lady Cats rebuilt their lead to 18-11 before Cora Rutledge delivered the set-winning kill.

Anna Brunner had two kills and a block during a five-point run that put the Lady Cats ahead 7-2 in the second set. After Southwestern Christian narrowed a seven-point deficit to 18-14, Audrey Riley started a four-point response with a kill. The visitors won a third set that featured 11 ties, but the Lady Cats responded in the fourth. Brunner contributed two kills and two block assists during an eight-point run that produced an 18-10 lead. Kalli Noell added consecutive late kills, and Brinley Watson ended the match with another.

Noell led College of the Ozarks with 14 kills and just one attack error on .619 hitting in the victory. Brunner recorded 13 kills without an attack error, hit .481 and finished with seven total blocks. Riley supplied seven kills, 19 assists, eight digs and five block assists, while Kamryn Link had 25 assists and three aces. Emma Godwin led the back row with 23 digs. The Lady Cats totaled 52 kills, eight aces and 11 blocks while holding Southwestern Christian to .084 hitting.

Oklahoma City won the second match 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 25-16. The Lady Cats rallied from an early 6-1 deficit to pull within 9-8 in the opening set, then mounted another push after falling behind 15-8. A kill and a block-assisted point involving Brunner cut the margin to 21-20, but Oklahoma City answered with three straight points. In the second set, College of the Ozarks led 10-8 before Oklahoma City turned a 10-10 tie into a 17-10 advantage. Consecutive kills by McKenna McClure helped the Lady Cats save two set points before Oklahoma City closed it out.

College of the Ozarks extended the match by hitting .368 in the third set. A kill by McClure helped break a 7-7 tie during a three-point run, and Brunner scored two of the final three points, including the set-winning kill. The Lady Cats carried that momentum into the fourth and led 11-8 after a kill by Noell. Oklahoma City answered with five straight points to move ahead 13-11 and pulled away for the 25-16 finish.

Brunner totaled 15 kills and four block assists, McClure had nine kills on .389 hitting, and Riley contributed six kills, 21 assists and 11 digs. College of the Ozarks held advantages in kills, 53-44, and hitting percentage, .223-.205, but Oklahoma City recorded 12 aces to the Lady Cats’ five.

The Lady Cats hit the road this week as they head to Texas Wesleyan University and Nelson University to continue their play in the tough Sooner Athletic Conference.