C of O vs University of Science & Arts

CHICKASHA, Okla. - College of the Ozarks fell to Science and Arts in three sets Friday night, losing 25-21, 25-22, 25-18 at Drover Fieldhouse. The Lady Cats moved to 7-6 overall and 4-4 in league play, while the Drovers improved to 11-4 and 5-2.

The Lady Cats faced a 17-8 deficit in the opening set before mounting a 9-3 run. Faith Klindworth served an ace during a five-point surge, and Anna Brunner combined with Cora Rutledge on a block that cut the margin to 20-17. Brinley Watson added a kill to bring the Lady Cats within 24-21, but Trinity Williams answered with the set-ending kill for Science and Arts.

The Lady Cats carried that momentum into the second set. Addison Hammond delivered consecutive aces for a 3-1 advantage, and Kamryn Link later served an ace before pressuring the Drovers into an attack error that made it 11-9. After Science and Arts moved ahead 16-12, Brunner capped a four-point rally with a kill to tie the set. The Drovers rebuilt their lead to 23-19, but kills by Rutledge and Audrey Riley, followed by an attack error, pulled the Lady Cats within 23-22. Mackenzie King stopped the comeback with a kill, and Science and Arts scored the next point to take the set.

The Lady Cats again challenged in the third set. Riley recorded consecutive kills during a three-point run that narrowed the deficit to 9-8, and Klindworth's second ace of the match put the Lady Cats ahead 15-13. Rutledge later tied the set at 17 with a kill, but the Drovers closed the match on an 8-1 run. Bailey Makahununiu served two consecutive aces during the decisive stretch, and an attack error ended the match after Iyahna Hibbler put Science and Arts at match point.

Watson led the Lady Cats' attack with 11 kills and a .417 hitting percentage. Rutledge finished with seven kills, while Riley contributed four kills, 12 assists, nine digs, an ace and a block assist. Link added 10 assists, seven digs and an ace. Brunner provided a strong presence at the net with two solo blocks and two block assists, and Emma Godwin collected nine digs and three assists. Klindworth had two of the Lady Cats' six service aces.

C of O vs Mid-America Christian 

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – College of the Ozarks earned a 3-1 Sooner Athletic Conference road victory over Mid-America Christian University on Saturday at the Gaulke Activity Center. The Lady Cats claimed the match 25-19, 15-25, 25-18, 25-22 to improve to 8-5 overall and 5-4 in conference play.

The Lady Cats took control early in the opening set behind a strong serving run from Audrey Riley. With the score tied 2-2, Riley sparked six unanswered points, including an ace and a kill, to give College of the Ozarks an 8-2 advantage. MACU later trimmed the lead to four, but McKenna McClure halted the rally with a kill to make it 20-15. The Lady Cats maintained control from there, with Kamryn Link sealing the 25-19 win with an ace.

Mid-America Christian responded in the second set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and extending its advantage to 12-4. A kill from Brinley Watson and a block by Riley and Anna Brunner helped the Lady Cats close the gap to 17-11, but the Evangels answered and took the set 25-15 to even the match.

College of the Ozarks quickly regained the momentum in the third. Riley once again provided a spark from the service line, recording two aces during a five-point run that turned a 3-3 tie into an 8-3 Lady Cats lead. When MACU pulled within three at 16-13, the Lady Cats answered with four consecutive kills from Kalli Noell, Watson, Riley and Brunner. College of the Ozarks carried that momentum to a 25-18 win and a 2-1 advantage in the match.

The fourth set proved to be the closest of the afternoon. The Lady Cats built a 14-7 lead before MACU battled back to tie the set at 14 and eventually moved ahead 17-16. Cora Rutledge responded with a kill to even the score, Emma Godwin followed with an ace and Rutledge added another kill to put the Lady Cats back in front, 19-17. MACU fought off two match points, but Riley delivered the final kill to secure the 25-22 set victory and the 3-1 match win.

Brunner led a balanced Lady Cats attack with 13 kills while hitting .462, adding two solo blocks and seven block assists. Noell was highly efficient with 10 kills and no attack errors, hitting .556, while Rutledge added 10 kills on .333 hitting.

Riley turned in an all-around performance with six kills, 20 assists, four aces and nine digs. Link recorded 18 assists and 14 digs, Godwin led the back row with 16 digs, and Anna Howe added 15. Watson finished with seven kills.

As a team, College of the Ozarks hit .250 while collecting nine service aces and 10 total blocks. The Lady Cats held Mid-America Christian to a .186 hitting percentage.

College of the Ozarks returns home Thursday, October 1, to host Central Christian College (Kan.) at 6 p.m.