On their senior day, the Golden Grizzlies volleyball team delivered a commanding performance, sweeping the IU Indy Jaguars at the OU Credit Union O’Rena on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Set One
From the very first serve, Oakland looked to take control. The Jaguars struggled and had attack errors that put Oakland on the board early. Libby Smith and Tyler Linkhart had a series of attacks, while Rachel Rossman orchestrated plays with great timing.
IU Indy made a valiant attempt to rally, but Oakland quickly countered, maintaining their lead. Emily Wichmann showed up big-time defensively. In the final moments, IU Indy faltered under pressure, and an attack error sealed the set, leading Oakland to a 25-19 set one victory.
Set Two
The Golden Grizzlies faced errors to start, giving the Jaguars the first few points. However, it wasn’t long until Oakland’s Gentry Brown made her presence known with powerful kills that electrified the crowd.
The Jaguars tried to fight back, but each attempt was met with Oakland’s impenetrable defense. The Golden Grizzlies quickly got ahead to 11-5. After IU Indy went on a 3-0 run, the Golden Grizzlies went on a 4-0 run of their own. After a final kill from the Jaguars’ Maia Long, Smith delivered the final strike as Oakland claimed set two, 25-16.
Set Three
Oakland aimed for a clean sweep. The team exchanged tense moments early on, but the set saw the Jaguars score four straight points, taking a 5-1 lead.
Oakland’s Lillian Frias and Sydney Green sparked runs to try and close the gap. The intensity continued to rise, and Oakland found their rhythm and went on an 8-0 run.
The run featured two service aces by Smith, pushing Oakland to 24-21. A miscommunication led to a critical error for the Jaguars, handing Oakland the final point. The Golden Grizzlies took the last set, 25-22, and secured the 3-0 sweep.
The Golden Grizzlies had themselves a game. Smith and Linkhart each had 12 kills and two blocks a piece. Brown added seven kills and two blocks, and Frias shone with five kills and led the team with three blocks. Their combined efforts were instrumental in the win.
Team Stats
Senior day was a resounding success for the Golden Grizzlies, who outperformed IU Indy in total points, with 54 compared to 45. The Golden Grizzlies showed superior offense with 43 kills to the Jaguars’ 33, demonstrating their attack efficiency. Defensively, their strength was evident with seven blocks compared to Indy’s five. Oakland also had a total of 37 digs, thanks to Wichmann’s impact in the closely contested category, to the Jaguars’ 36.
What’s Next?
Oakland will now prepare and head to Ohio to face Youngstown State University at the Beeghly Center on Friday, Nov. 1. The first serve will be at 6 p.m., and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.