SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- With a commanding 21-17 lead late in the third set, the Golden Eagles (8-14, 2-3 SAC) allowed Oklahoma City (11-7, 4-2 SAC) to complete the game on an 8-2 tear, eventually falling in a 3-2 (22-25, 29-27, 23-25, 25-19, 7-15) loss tonight at Bill George Arena.
John Brown received a team-high 13 kills from sophomore Audrey Dearien, who also landed nine digs and three blocks in the losing effort. Sophomore Libby Blasingame and senior Erin McIlroy each chipped in with nine attacks apiece. The Golden Eagles were held under a .150 hitting percentage for the second time in three matches, finishing the night at .091 percent.
A Blasingame kill followed by an OCU error allowed the Golden Eagle to climb back into contention, 12-11, in the first set. The first set was highly-contested as nine ties ensued with JBU nabbing the lead four times. With the score knotted at 22, three consecutive JBU attacking errors handed the Stars a 25-22 win.
The second set featured an impressive 19 tie scores as the two squads continued to battle in back-and-forth action. Two more JBU attack errors allowed Oklahoma City a slight 5-3 advantage, before the Stars handed the lead right back, netting three errors of its own. Down 11-10, John Brown posted a small 3-0 run, courtesy of a spike from McIlroy, coupled with a pair of OCU errors. Down 17-16, back-to-back services aces from freshman Molli Pugh vaulted JBU to an 18-17 lead. Facing a 23-22 deficit, the Golden Eagles received a trio of kills from sophomore Melissa Bakke and, in conjunction with an ace from freshman Shayna Daniels, retook the lead. After two-straight side-outs from OCU, a Stars service error setup the set-winning kill from Dearien, tying the score at one apiece with a 29-27 win.
The third set seemed to be the time for the Golden Eagles to seize control of the match, but unfortunately, OCU responded from a pair of three-point deficits before mounting a comeback to claim the third set. Down 6-5, John Brown used three OCU errors in addition to kills from Dearien and sophomore Tiffany Hunnicutt to jump to a 10-6 lead. The advantage wouldn't hold long, however, as the Stars pieced together an 8-3 run to grab a 14-13 lead. Another Dearien spike later in the set setup a dramatic finish with JBU holding a narrow 21-17 lead. Oklahoma City would then rattle off six-consecutive points en route to finishing the set on an 8-2 run, placing the Golden Eagles in a 2-1 hole.
The fourth set was all John Brown as the hosts boasted a seven-point lead midway through the set. Game four was the only set that JBU eclipsed .100 percent hitting in a given set, as JBU notched 16 kills, finishing with a .268 hitting percentage, limiting OCU to a mere .146 percent.
Maintaining the game's storyline, neither team was able to win two sets in a row as OCU pulled away quickly in the fifth and deciding set. Three Golden Eagle errors keyed an 8-2 Stars lead to start the game. JBU wouldn't come any closer than 10-5, as Oklahoma City turned in its best hitting performance of the night, posting a .450 attack percentage in the tiebreaker.
Senior Kailey Bain ended the evening with a team-high 23 helpers while Daniels landed 19. Senior Stacie Williamson's play in the back row landed her 26 digs while Pugh (18) and Bain (10) joined her in double-digit scoops. JBU earned six service aces, led by three from Daniels and another pair from Pugh. Pugh also paced a dominating performance for the Golden Eagles on the block, throwing up eight rejections while McIlroy finished with four and Hunnicutt contributed five of her own.
The Golden Eagles return to the court on Saturday (Oct. 5) when JBU welcomes Mid-America Christian (Okla.) to Bill George Arena at 11:00 a.m. The Lady Evangels (3-14. 0-5 SAC) will be the opponent as John Brown celebrates Homecoming 2013.
