Jessica Pearce had 11 kills against Carroll College in San Marcos, Calif. (9/1/23)
SPIRIT HAVE SPIRTED MATCH AGAINST SAINTS
The OUAZ women's volleyball squad lost a marathon first set and then rattled off three straight sets against Carroll College out of Montana on Friday, Sept. 1, to lengthen their five-match overall win streak at the USK Labor Day Invitational in San Marcos, Calif.
Lauren Wamsley had a dozen kills and a dozen digs in the match. Four Spirit players reached double figures in kills, including both Hengie sisters and
Jessica Pearce.
Cristal Carrizoza was busy with 40 assists in the match.
Kenzie Kuxhaus had a team-high 16 digs.
Carroll College (6-5) jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the first set. OUAZ (5-3) went on a 9-3 run to take a 11-9 lead and force a Saints timeout. The teams traded points in a 5-5 stretch, it was a 19-17 lead for OUAZ and another Carroll timeout. The timeout worked as the Saints went on a 3-0 run to take a 20-19 lead and force the Spirit to take a timeout. Just like for Carroll, it worked for OUAZ as they went on a mini 2-0 run to take a 21-20 lead. The teams again traded points to make the score 24-all. This lead the Spirit to take their second timeout. Rylie Hengie got a kill, one of 11 for the match, put the Spirit on the verge of winning the first set. Carroll would fight back and take the next point to make it 25-all and force overpoints. Carroll would end up grinding out a 30-28 set win.
The second set started out with the Spirit taking the first three points and eight of the first nine. The Saints would go on a 10-5 run to bring the score 13-11 OUAZ. However, the Spirit said enough is enough and won the second set by going on a 12-4 run to take 25-15. Wamsley gained three of her kills in the final four points of the set.
In the third set, the Orange and Red went on a 13-3 to open the set. Wamsley had the serve from points four through nine, gaining three aces in that stretch. The Spirit did not take their foot off the gas, albeit they did not have it full throttle, as Carroll went on a 15-12 run. But with the lead they had, they were able to win the third 25-17.
Both teams were trying to get the upper hand but after 11 points it was the Saints leading 6-5. It was then that OUAZ went on a 6-2 lead to lead 11-8. Over the course of the next 18 points, both teams gained nine to make it 20-17 OUAZ. Wamsley had a pair of kills, a service ace by Carizoza and a couple of miscues from Carroll College locked the match up at 25-17.
The team will wrap up the Labor Day Tournament on Saturday with an early 8 a.m. match against Friends University of Wichita, Kansas. And then after a break, will take on future conference mate, and tournament host, University of Saint Katherine at 2 p.m.
