Surprise, Ariz. – The OUAZ Women's Volleyball team protected its home court on the opening day of the 2026 OUAZ Invitational, earning a pair of straight-set victories Friday inside Faith Arena. The Spirit opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Westcliff before closing the evening with another sweep against Cumberland (Tenn.) to improve to 3-3 overall on the season.
OUAZ hit better than .290 in both matches while recording 81 kills, 16 blocks, and a 2-0 mark to begin tournament play.
OUAZ 3, Westcliff 0
(25-11, 25-19, 25-19)
The Spirit turned in one of their most complete performances of the season in the morning match, hitting .298 while limiting Westcliff to an .089 attacking percentage.
OUAZ wasted little time building control of the opening set. The Spirit hit .371 with 15 kills and only two errors while cruising to a 25-11 victory. They maintained momentum in the second set, using balanced offense and strong net play to secure a 25-19 win and take a commanding two-set lead.
In the third set, OUAZ again controlled play from the outset, completing the sweep behind 13 kills and a .324 hitting percentage.
Four Spirit attackers finished with seven kills apiece as OUAZ showcased its offensive depth.
Match Leaders
The Spirit finished with advantages in kills (41-28), blocks (8-1), assists (40-27), and digs (56-44).
OUAZ 3, Cumberland (Tenn.) 0
(25-19, 25-18, 25-14)
OUAZ carried its momentum into the evening session, defeating a Cumberland squad that entered the match with a 6-3 record.
After trailing 15-10 midway through the opening set, the Spirit erupted on a 15-4 run to steal the frame. Behind the play of Elisa Saunders, Marielle Ramos, and Hannah Allman, OUAZ scored 10 of the final 11 points to claim a 25-19 victory.
The second set was tightly contested early, with the teams tied at 14-14 before the Spirit seized control. OUAZ closed the set on an 11-4 run highlighted by strong serving from Isabella Foutz and key kills from Wilson, Allman, and Ramos to win 25-18.
The Spirit's defense took over in the decisive third set. OUAZ recorded several key blocks and forced Cumberland into a -.114 hitting percentage in the frame. The Spirit led by as many as 11 points before securing the sweep with a 25-14 victory.
Match Leaders
OUAZ out-hit Cumberland .337 to .136 and finished with advantages in kills (40-34), blocks (8-6), assists (38-31), and digs (42-27).
Day One Notes
- The Spirit improved to 3-3 overall with their first two-match winning streak of the season.
- OUAZ posted a combined .317 team hitting percentage across Friday's matches.
- Gloria Moye totaled 10 blocks on the day.
- Hannah Allman recorded 15 digs against Westcliff and added eight kills and two aces against Cumberland.
- Elisa Saunders led OUAZ offensively on the day with 19 total kills, including a .611 hitting performance versus Cumberland.
Up Next
The Spirit conclude the 2026 OUAZ Invitational on Saturday when they face Northwest University (Wash.) at Noon inside Faith Arena. OUAZ will look to avenge a season-opening loss to the Eagles and finish the weekend unbeaten on its home floor.
