Lady Bobasts Deliver Late Defensive Stand in 3-1 Win Over Oklahoma City - Friday, October 9

College of the Ozarks (12-6) defeated Oklahoma City (14-5) 3-1 on Friday, at Abe Lemmons Arena, winning 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22. The Lady Cats used three blocks in the closing stretch of the fourth set to secure the victory.

Anna Brunner led Ozarks with 13 kills and six blocks, including one solo block. Kalli Noell added 10 kills and four block assists while hitting .208. Kamryn Link supplied 20 assists and 14 digs, and Audrey Riley contributed 17 assists and six kills. The Lady Cats also received eight kills from Cora Rutledge seven from Brinley Watson and six from McKenna McClure.

C of O strung together five consecutive points in the opening set, capped by a Brunner kill for an 18-12 lead. A solo block by Brunner later made it 19-13, but the home team rallied, pulling even at 23-23 on a kill by Erin Mack. Noell answered with a kill to give the Lady Cats set point, and an opponent attack error completed the opening-set win. Ozarks recorded 15 kills and hit .200 in the set.

The Lady Cats led 9-4 in the second set and moved back ahead 13-12 on a Noell kill after the home team erased the early deficit. Oklahoma City responded with three consecutive points, then followed an Ozarks point with a five-point run to take a 20-14 lead. A kill by Bailey Lowder finished the set and evened the match. Ozarks committed 10 attack errors in the second set while the home team hit .263.

A service ace by Faith Klindworth capped a seven-point Ozarks run for a 10-3 advantage in the third set. The lead reached 17-8 on a Audrey Riley kill before Oklahoma City rallied within 18-16. Anna Brunner stopped a three-point home-team run with a kill, and an opponent attack error restored a four-point cushion. Noell and Rutledge combined on the set-ending block to give the Bobcats a 2-1 match lead.

Ozarks held a 12-8 fourth-set lead but later trailed 19-18. Noell teamed with Rutledge on a tying block, then joined Watson for another block to reclaim the lead. A Riley kill completed the three-point response, and Addison Hammond later served an ace for a 23-20 advantage. Two Ozarks attack errors cut the margin to one and prompted a Lady Cat timeout. Audrey Riley and Anna Brunner answered with a combined block before Brunner delivered the match-ending kill off an assist from Riley.

Anna Howe anchored the Lady Cats' floor defense with 19 digs, followed by Emma Godwin with 18. Faith Kilndworth served three of Ozarks' nine aces, with Godwin,  and Kamryn Link adding two apiece. Erin Mack and Kacie Townsend led Oklahoma City with 15 kills each. The Lady Cats finished with advantages of 51-48 in kills, 9-2 in aces and 10-8 in team blocks despite being outhit .143 to .100.

Lady Cats Outlast Southwestern Christian in Five Sets - Saturday, October 10

College of the Ozarks (12-6) held off Southwestern Christian (4-11) for a 3-2 conference volleyball victory Thursday, in Bethany, Oklahoma. The Lady Cats won 25-17, 25-21, 23-25, 22-25, 15-11.

The Lady Cats led throughout the opening set after an early tie, with a kill by Audrey Riley, completing a three-point run for a 19-13 advantage. Anna Brunner delivered the set-ending kill to cap another three-point burst. In the second, the Lady Cats erased a 7-5 deficit and built a 17-11 lead. Southwestern Christian repeatedly pulled within one, including at 22-21, before a kill by Brinley Watson, a block and an opponent attack error secured a two-set advantage.

Southwestern Christian fought back through two tight sets. The Lady Cats recovered from a 7-3 deficit in the third to lead 12-11 on an ace, but the hosts regained control and closed the set on a block. In the fourth, the Lady Cats moved ahead 18-16 before surrendering three consecutive points. A kill by Cora Rutledge later tied it at 20-20, but Southwestern Christian answered with another three-point run and forced a deciding set.

A block capped a five-point Lady Cats run from 1-1 in the fifth, and Brinley Watson extended the lead to 9-3 with a kill. Southwestern Christian cut the margin to 12-10 before Audrey Riley answered with a kill. After the hosts again moved within two at 13-11, the Lady Cats reached match point on a kill by Kalli Noell. An attack error by Dani McCampbell ended the match.

Anna Brunner led the Lady Cats with 11 kills and 10 blocks, including nine block assists. Audrey Riley contributed 10 kills, 13 assists, eight digs, two aces and four block assists. Kalli Noell hit .316 with seven kills and just one attack error, while Brinley Watson and Cora Rutledge added six kills apiece.

Kamryn Link directed the offense with 25 assists and added nine digs. In the back row, Emma Godwin recorded a match-high 29 digs and Anna Howe supplied 16. Faith Klindworth contributed three aces and nine digs. The Lady Cats finished with 87 digs, 12 team blocks and eight aces.

The Lady Cats hit .097 with 46 kills, while Southwestern Christian recorded 56 kills but committed 45 attack errors and hit .056. Emery Hulme paced the hosts with 16 kills. The result moved the Lady Cats to 9-4 in conference play and Southwestern Christian to 2-11. The Lady Cats play next at Evangel University (Mo.) on Tuesday, October 13.