Mountaineers fall to Oklahoma in regular-season finale

The West Virginia University volleyball team (9-22, 2-16 Big 12) dropped a five-set match to Oklahoma in the regular season finale on Saturday night at the McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners claimed the victory with scores of 22-25, 25-15, 25-19, 26-28 and 15-9.

Junior outside hitter Hailey Green set the junior single season record in kills, collecting 418 total kills. The record was previously held by Stephanie Zolna who totaled 403 kills in 2004. Green stamped the record with 16 kills against Oklahoma.

Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Miller led the floor with 17 kills on a .298 clip and recorded a double-double with 10 digs for the fourth time this season. Sophomore middle blocker Tierney Jackson added 10 kills and six total blocks, while redshirt senior setter Lauren DeLo totaled 37 assists for her nineteenth 30 or more assists game this season.

Fifth year libero Camilla Covas combined for 16 digs and two service aces. Sophomore defensive specialist Samiha Foster added a pair of service aces, to West Virginia’s six total perfect serves.

Green put down the first kill of the match for West Virginia, as it trailed early, 2-1 in the first set. A 6-0 run let the Mountaineers reach 15 points first, taking the 15-13 lead. A pair of kills from Green pushed WVU ahead for the rest of the set, 22-19. A kill from Miller sealed set one, 25-22 for WVU.

West Virginia responded to the early 3-0 OU lead with four straight points, at the beginning of the second set, 4-3. The Mountaineers continued with another run, leading the Sooners 8-5. A late 15-4 run from Oklahoma stopped the Mountaineers offense, as freshman middle blocker Maddy McGath added the last point for West Virginia, as it trailed 21-15. OU stormed off to take the second set, 25-15.

The Mountaineers began the third on a good foot, with a 2-0 lead. West Virginia and Oklahoma both added 4-0 runs, as Jackson went on to knot the score at eight with a kill. The Mountaineers held onto the third, with a score of 19-17 before the Sooners would go on an 8-0 run to secure the set, 25-19.

WVU looked for revenge in the fourth and jumped out with a 9-5 lead after a pair of service aces from Covas. A 3-0 Oklahoma run let the Mountaineers trail by one, 20-19 followed by a Miller kill to tie it all up at 20. With points raining from each side of the court, West Virginia secured the fourth set, 28-26 courtesy of OU errors.

Victory seemed to be eminent in the fifth and final set, as WVU led 4-1 after a service ace from Foster. Oklahoma responded with four-straight points, taking the 8-5 lead. The Sooners remained persistent and closed the match with a 6-2 run, 15-9.