The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 1 – North Dakota State 3
Records: ORU (2-11, 0-1) – North Dakota State (9-3, 1-0)
Location: Mabee Center (Tulsa, Okla..)

TULSA, Okla. – Despite a career-high tying and match-high 21 kills from Trinity Freeman, the Oral Roberts volleyball team dropped their 2023 home opener in a hard-fought four-set match (22-25, 18-25, 25-22, 21-25) against Summit League foe North Dakota State Thursday night inside the Mabee Center. 

Freeman topped the Golden Eagles in kills for the eighth straight match and notched her sixth straight double-digit performance. The 20-plus kill performance marked the second straight for the junior and the third of her career. The Phoenix, Arizona, native also registered six digs in the match. 

Freshman Hannah Jackson and junior Thaynara de Jesus followed with seven kills apiece, while Kedron Burk added six on 15 swings for a .400 attack percentage. Burk also totaled a team-best three blocks in the match. 

Setter Kalena Vaivai paced the ORU offense as the senior dished out 42 assists on the night. The Wailuku, Hawaii, native also logged six digs, three kills and two blocks in the match. Vaivai now sits 23 assists away from 1,000 in her Golden Eagle career.

In the backrow, libero Breanna Rivas scooped up a team-high 11 digs and also added a match-best three service aces. 

After the two sides were even through the first 30 points of the opening set, the Bison used a 5-0 run to take a 20-15 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Jackson capped off a 3-0 spurt for the Golden Eagles as they drew within two, 20-18. That was as close as ORU would get as North Dakota State claimed the first set, 25-22.

In the second, the Golden Eagles registered seven of the first 10 points before the Bison answered with a 13-3 stretch to take a 16-10 lead. Trailing 17-12, ORU rattled off three straight points to pull within two, 17-15. North Dakota State responded with a 5-0 run to extend its advantage to seven 22-15. The two squads traded the final six points as the Bison went on to take the second set, 25-18.

In a back-and-forth third set that featured 14 ties and three lead changes, the Golden Eagles came out on top, 25-22. Freeman and de Jesus carried the load offensively in the set as the duo put down five and four kills, respectively. A 5-1 ORU run was the difference maker in the set as the score went from 18-18 to 23-19 in favor of the Golden Eagles. 

Following a 9-5 start to the fourth by ORU, the Bison answered six of the next seven points to take an 11-10 advantage. The Golden Eagles responded with four of the next five points to regain the lead, 14-11. North Dakota State fired back with an 8-2 stretch to jump back in front 19-16, forcing an ORU timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Bison outscored the Golden Eagles 6-5 as they claimed the set, 25-21, and the match.

Match Notes

• Freeman reached double-figure kills for the ninth time this season and 40th time in her career.
• The junior has now led ORU in kills 35 times in her career.
• Vaivai dished out 40-plus assists for the second time this season and third in her Golden Eagle career.
• Rivas led the team in digs for the sixth time this season and 18th time in her career.
• The double-digit dig performance marked the 28th of the junior's career.
• In addition to her seven kills, de Jesus added nine digs. 
• As a team, ORU logged a .235 attack percentage compared to a .231 mark from the Bison.
• The two sides each registered seven service aces in the match.
• Thursday's match marked the first for ORU inside the Mabee Center in over 20 years.
• The Summit League opener marked the 36th meeting all-time between the two teams.
• In home openers, the Golden Eagles are now 26-20 all-time.

Up Next
ORU remains at home as they host North Dakota on Saturday inside the Mabee Center at noon.
 
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