SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University volleyball team extended its unbeaten streak in the league play after a hard-fought 3-1 victory (25-22, 25-27, 25-21, 25-18) against Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 7) inside Bill George Arena.
The Golden Eagles improved their record to 3-7 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while the Stars dropped to 1-7 overall and 1-1 in the SAC.
JBU's offense was led by senior Savanna Riney, who posted a match-high 14 kills on a .220 hitting percentage. She was supported by senior middle Taylor Golmen, who contributed 12 kills on a .345 attack efficiency and added five blocks. Sophomore Kailana Chamnongchith orchestrated the offense, distributing 21 assists while also adding 17 digs. Defensively, senior Julie Milligan led all players with 34 digs, her best performance of the season and the second time eclipsing 30 scoops.
The Golden Eagles tallied 54 kills on a .163 hitting percentage (54-24-184), with strong contributions from junior Ella Yarborough (10 kills) and senior Erin Mullins (7 kills, 5 blocks). JBU's defense, particularly the blocking game, was pivotal in containing OCU's attack, as they recorded 12 block assists as a team and the Stars hit just .076 (19-12-92) after knotting the match at one apiece.
John Brown started the match with confidence, taking the first set 25-22. Early service pressure from Grace Barfknecht and strong hitting from Savanna Riney set the tone, with JBU jumping out to an early 5-3 lead. OCU fought back, closing the gap at 12-10, but JBU's solid blocking, led by Mullins and junior Emma-Kate Schaefer, held off the Stars. After both teams made runs midway through the frame, a service ace from junior Emma DeSanti and a Yarborough kill secured the first set for the Golden Eagles.
The second set was a tightly contested affair, with nine ties and four lead changes featured. Despite JBU taking an early 9-6 advantage thanks to a string of kills by Riney and Yarborough, Oklahoma City rallied back with consistent attacks from Grace Smallwood and Ruby Kelley. JBU saw themselves tied at 24-24 after a service ace from Savanna Riney. However, OCU capitalized on a few late errors from JBU, with OCU's Maddie Edwards delivering a crucial kill to push OCU to a 27-25 set victory, tying the match at one set apiece – despite JBU owning a 25-24 set-point advantage.
Looking to regain control, JBU stormed back in the third set, capturing it 25-21. Setter Kailana Chamnongchith orchestrated the offense with precision, recording five assists, while Golmen led the offensive effort with five terminations. Up 22-17, Golmen added two kills and a block-assist as the hosts fended off a late Stars rally that pulled the visitors within three, 24-21, before a Golmen smash from the middle gave the Golden Eagles a 2-1 edge.
The Golden Eagles continued to ride the momentum in the fourth set, closing out the match 25-18. Strong serving from Milligan and defensive consistency from the back row proved crucial, as JBU held OCU to a .125 hitting percentage. Riney and Yarborough combined for six terminations in the set, and a pair of Mullins kills in the middle broke open an 11-10 JBU advantage into a seven-point lead, 20-13. Freshman Akayla Kador finished the match with her only kill of the match.
"What a great way to finish off our home opening weekend with an unblemished conference record," head coach Ken Carver said. "Today's match against a perennially top-four team was a battle, but I'm incredibly proud of our team for securing a hard-fought win. We executed our game plan, serving aggressively to disrupt their offensive rhythm and strategically targeting specific areas and players on the court. Our players displayed remarkable consistency, from the initial contact to the well-timed sets and smart swings that led to crucial points. We prevented any significant runs from our opponents and managed each set effectively. While the end result is fantastic, I'm most proud of the growth our players demonstrated this week. It was evident in the way we played throughout the weekend."
"We still have a high ceiling and plenty of room for improvement, but I'm hopeful that the success we experienced this weekend will further accelerate our learning and boost our confidence as we head into next week and the remainder of the season."
The Golden Eagles now head to the Lone Star state for its first Sooner Athletic road trip, slated to kick off with Texas Wesleyan inside the Sid Richardson Center at 6 p.m. on Friday night (Sept. 13). JBU will continue to Waxahachie the following afternoon to take on Nelson at 1 p.m. at the Sheaffer Center. Both matches will be carried live on the SAC Sports Network.
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