PT. LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The John Brown University volleyball team erased a two-set deficit to force a deciding frame, but College of the Ozarks (Mo.) claimed the final three points of the fifth to hand the Golden Eagles a five-set setback (19-25, 17-25, 25-23, 26-24, 12-15) inside Keeter Gymnasium Tuesday evening (Oct. 6).

John Brown (12-8, 8-4 Sooner Athletic) saw its six-match winning streak come to an end in the second five-set meeting between the league rivals this season. The loss also marked JBU's third consecutive setback in Pt. Lookout after the Golden Eagles captured the first meeting with the Bobcats in five sets on Sept. 22.

College of the Ozarks (11-6, 8-4 SAC) produced the larger offensive numbers, finishing with 71 kills and a .232 hitting percentage (71-30-177) compared with 51 terminations and a .149 clip (51-25-175) for JBU. The hosts also held advantages in digs (87-66), blocks (9-5) and service aces (6-3).

Sophomore Olivia Tucker paced the Golden Eagle attack with 16 kills while hitting .250 (16-6-40), and sophomore Kate Carlson followed with 14 terminations. Junior Federica Ferrari continued her productive run off the bench, putting away six of 16 attempts with only one error for a team-best .312 attacking percentage.

Junior Tessa Medina handed out 25 assists and added two aces, while sophomore Taylor Kosmicki contributed 15 helpers. Sophomore Paige Addington anchored the back row with a match-high 22 digs for John Brown, and freshman Emily Whitten added 11 scoops.

Ozarks placed five attackers in double figures, led by Anna Brunner's 16 kills on .387 hitting. Audrey Riley delivered a triple-double with 15 kills, 23 assists and 12 digs, while Brinley Watson, Kalli Noell and Cora Rutledge each added 11 terminations. Kamryn Link directed much of the attack with 33 assists and 19 digs for a double-double, and Brunner added six total blocks.

Set 1: The opener stayed close through the early stages before the Bobcats created the first meaningful separation. John Brown had pulled within 9-8 when Ozarks scored four consecutive points, using two JBU attacking errors and a Noell termination to stretch the advantage to 13-8.

CofO later pushed the margin to 20-12, but the Golden Eagles responded with four straight points behind three Bobcat attacking errors and a senior Mia Bowman ace to close within 20-16. The hosts prevented the surge from getting any closer, however, and Brunner eventually supplied the final termination in a 25-19 decision.

Ozarks hit .200 (14-7-35) in the frame while holding JBU to .097 (10-7-31).

Set 2: College of the Ozarks found its best offensive rhythm of the night in the second, putting away 20 kills and hitting .366 (20-5-41). The Bobcats turned a 10-8 edge into a 15-8 advantage with five unanswered points, getting consecutive Watson kills during the run before two JBU miscues widened the gap.

John Brown continued trying to chip away, but the hosts repeatedly sided out before the Golden Eagles could sustain a run. Ozarks later extended the margin to 22-13 behind three consecutive points and closed the frame 25-17 to take a 2-0 match advantage.

Set 3: Facing the sweep, JBU responded with its best offensive set of the match. The teams traded control through the opening half before Ozarks moved ahead 13-11, but Tucker sided out to begin a five-point Golden Eagle surge. Carlson and Tucker each supplied kills during the run, and an Ozarks attacking error helped JBU move in front 16-13.

The Golden Eagles eventually opened a 23-19 cushion behind Ferrari's termination, a Medina ace and kill from sophomore Clara Hyke, only for the Bobcats to answer with three straight and pull within 23-22. Tucker stopped the run to give JBU set point, and after Watson answered once for the hosts, Tucker struck again to finish the 25-23 victory.

John Brown hit a match-best .224 (17-6-49) in the third, nearly matching Ozarks' .229 clip while producing one more kill in the two-point set.

Set 4: Ozarks appeared ready to put the match away when a seven-point surge turned a 2-1 JBU advantage into an 8-2 Bobcat lead, but the Golden Eagles immediately began working back into the set. Five consecutive John Brown points cut the deficit to 8-7 as Underdown, Tucker and Carlson each found the floor during the response.

The hosts rebuilt a four-point margin at 12-8 and later moved ahead 19-16, but JBU again refused to let the frame escape. A Riley service error opened a three-point response, with Carlson and freshman Whitley Underdown following with kills to give the Golden Eagles a 21-20 lead.

The teams traded the advantage through a tense closing stretch, and Ozarks reached match point at 24-23 on a Rutledge termination. Link's ensuing service error pulled John Brown even before sophomore Reese Montgomery put away Medina's set to give JBU its own set point, and a Riley attacking error completed the 26-24 comeback to force a fifth.

Set 5: John Brown carried that momentum into the decider as Medina opened with an ace and JBU quickly built a 4-1 lead. The Golden Eagles still held a 7-5 advantage before Ozarks answered with three consecutive points, moving in front 8-7 for its first lead of the set.

From there, neither side could create separation. JBU pulled even at 8-8 and for four more consecutive points, with Tucker supplying the final Golden Eagle kill to erase Ozarks' 12-11 edge.

The Bobcats finally broke the deadlock on Brunner's 16th kill, then combined Rutledge and Brunner on a block to reach match point. Klindworth followed with an ace to finish the 15-12 decision, ending JBU's bid for the reverse sweep.

John Brown remains on the road Friday evening (Oct. 9), traveling to Bethany, Okla., for a 6 p.m. meeting with Southwestern Christian (Okla.) inside Pickens-Springer Gymnasium. The match will be streamed live on the Urban Edge Network and SAC Sports Network.

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