Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. �€" The Oral Roberts University volleyball team dropped its opening contest of the T.J. Sales/Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational to Missouri State, 3-0 (30-23, 31-29, 30-22), in front of 733 Saturday night at the Hammons Center. Outside hitter Ori Zuzic (Porec, Croatia) led ORU (5-6) with 16 kills, but the team never found its offensive sync as they hit a mere .123 (45-29-130) for the match.

The Golden Eagles led the Bears (7-6) 4-3 early in game one, but Missouri State used a 7-0 run to take a 10-4 advantage and never looked back. ORU managed to cut the gap to 14-13, and again the home team answered, this time with a 6-1 spurt to extend their advantage to 20-14. The Bears went on to win game one 30-23.

Game two proved to be a seesaw battle as the two teams combined for four led changes and 12 ties. The game was knotted at 25-25 when the Golden Eagles got back-to-back kills from rightside hitter Jackie Oliveira (Minas Gerais, Brazil) to take a 27-25 lead. Missouri State stormed right back to score the next three points for a 28-25 advantage, a lead they would never relinquish. Kills by Oliveira forced ties at 28-28 and 29-29, but the Bears managed to record the game's final two points for a 31-29 win and 2-0 lead.

ORU had another chance to get back in the match during game three, as they held a 19-18 lead more than midway into the game. Missouri State answered right back with an 8-0 run to take a commanding 26-19 lead en route to their 30-22 match clinching win.

Erin O'Connor led the Bears with 13 markers and Ashley Warren notched a match-high 35 assists.

Libero Cris Alves (Sao Paulo, Brazil) recorded 14 digs for ORU, while Oliveira chipped in with a 12-kill, six-dig effort.

The Golden Eagles return to action on Sunday afternoon when they square off against North Dakota State in their final match of the T.J. Sales/Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at 12:00 p.m.

--ORU--