The Basics (Match Two)
Score: Oral Roberts 3 – Texas Tech 1
Records: ORU (3-8) – Texas Tech (9-2)
Location: United Supermarkets Arena (Lubbock, Texas)
 
LUBBOCK, Texas – Behind double-doubles from Kaia Dunford and Kalena Vaivai, the Oral Roberts volleyball team snapped their seven-match losing streak with a four-set win (26-14, 14-25, 25-14, 25-20) over Texas Tech Friday afternoon inside the United Supermarkets Arena.
 
The road victory marked the Golden Eagles first over a Power 5 opponent since 2014 when they defeated Arkansas in five sets.
 
Trinity Freeman led the offensive attack with 15 kills followed by Dunford with 13. Dunford also registered a match-high 19 digs for her second double-double of the day and fifth of the season. Vaivai dished out 34 assists and scooped up 14 Texas Tech attacks for her second straight double-double and third of the year.
 
At the net, Sakira LaCour, Natassia Baptiste and Freeman each registered five blocks apiece as the team totaled 10 for the match. In the backrow, Chloe Salcedo recorded 11 digs.
 
In the opening set, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 start courtesy of back-to-back aces from Salcedo. After the Red Raiders took their first lead of the contest, 8-7, ORU answered with five of the next six points to jump back in front 12-9. Leading by one, 18-17, the Golden Eagles used a 5-1 stretch to extend their advantage, 23-18. Following a 4-0 Red Raider run that evened the score at 24-24, ORU tallied the final two points to take the first set, 26-24.
 
After the Golden Eagles registered the first point of the second stanza, the Red Raiders responded with nine of the next 10 points to take control of the set. Texas Tech later used a 5-1 run to push their lead to 23-9. ORU tried to rally with four straight points to cut the deficit to 24-14 but the Red Raiders finished off the set on the ensuing point.
 
The two sides traded the first 10 points of the third game before ORU used two 3-0 runs to take an 11-7 lead. A 5-1 Golden Eagle stretch pushed their lead to 18-10. During the run, Freeman registered two kills and two block assists. ORU later capitalized on three consecutive attack errors by the Red Raiders to take the third set, 25-14.
 
In the fourth, ORU raced out to a 5-1 advantage behind two Dunford kills. Texas Tech later cut the Golden Eagle lead to two, 18-16 with a 3-0 surge. ORU responded with another 5-1 stretch to push their advantage to 23-17. Following a 3-0 spurt from the Red Raiders that trimmed the lead to 23-20, ORU scored the next two points to claim the set, 25-20, and the match.
 
Match Notes

• Friday's matchup marked the first meeting between ORU and Texas Tech since 2016.
• With the win, the Golden Eagles are now 7-12 all-time against the Red Raiders and 2-6 in Lubbock.
• The victory marked ORU's first over a Power 5 opponent since 2016.
• Friday's road win marked the first for the Golden Eagles over a Power 5 opponent since 2014.
• Dunford logged her team-leading fifth double-double of the year.
• The junior also surpassed 500 digs for her career in the win.
• Vaivai registered her second straight double-double and third of the season.
• Freeman led the Golden Eagles in kills for the ninth time this year. 
• LaCour logged her 500th career kill in the win.

The Basics (Match One)
Score: Oral Roberts 1 – UTRGV 3
Records: ORU (2-8) – UTRGV (11-1)
Location: United Supermarkets Arena (Lubbock, Texas)
 
LUBBOCK, Texas – Despite double-doubles from Kalena Vaivai and Kaia Dunford, the Oral Roberts volleyball team dropped their opening match of the Red Raider Classic in four sets (18-25, 25-27, 25-15, 15-25) to UTRGV Friday morning inside the United Supermarkets Arena.
 
Vaivai orchestrated the ORU offensive attack with a season-high 34 assists and totaled three dump kills. The senior also scooped up 10 Vaquero attacks for her second double-double of the season.
 
Trinity Freeman paced the Golden Eagles with 12 kills, while Dunford and Sakira LaCour tacked on 10 and eight, respectively. Dunford also registered 11 digs for her team-leading fourth double-double of the year.
 
From the backrow, Chloe Salcedo set new career-highs in digs (18) and service aces (4). At the net, LaCour totaled a season-high 10 blocks, four of which were solos. The four solo blocks were a new career-high for the senior.
 
Following a 3-0 start from UTRGV in the opening set, the Golden Eagles answered with four of the next six points to trim the deficit to one, 5-4. The Vaqueros responded with a 4-0 run to stretch their lead to 10-5. An ace from Vaivai cut the deficit to three, 17-14, but UTRGV recorded seven of the final 10 points to take the first set, 25-18.
 
After 3-0 runs from both sides started the second stanza, UTRGV used a 5-0 run to take an 8-4 advantage. Trailing 24-19, ORU went on a 6-0 run that featured four blocks to jump in front 25-24. The Vaqueros responded with the final three points to take the second set, 27-25.
 
Following a kill by the Vaqueros to open the third, ORU used a 4-0 run to jump in front. During the stretch, Salcedo registered two of her four aces. After the Vaqueros stopped the run with back-to-back points, the Golden Eagles scored nine of the next 12 to stretch their lead to 13-6. ORU closed the set on a 6-1 run that was capped off by a Vaivai kill to send the match to a fourth game.
 
With the Golden Eagles leading 6-3 in the fourth, UTRGV used a 6-0 run to take a 9-6 advantage. An error by the Vaqueros broke the run but ORU couldn't capitalize as an 8-0 stretch by UTRGV put the set out of reach. The Vaqueros went on to claim the final set, 25-16, and the match.
 
Match Notes

• Friday's meeting marked the fourth all-time between ORU and UTRGV.
• Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles still hold a 3-1 edge in the all-time series.
• Dunford registered her team-leading fourth double-double in the loss.
• Vaivai recorded her second double-double as a Golden Eagle.
• The senior also topped 30 assists for the first time as a Golden Eagle.
• LaCour's 10 blocks were a season-high.
• Salcedo set new career-highs in digs (18) and aces (4).
• Freeman led ORU in kills for the eighth time this season.

 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles conclude the Red Raider Classic against Arizona State Saturday at noon inside the United Supermarkets Arena.
 
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