MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — The Oakland University women's volleyball program fell in straight sets (22-25, 15-25, 18-25) to the Milwaukee Panthers Tuesday afternoon inside the Klotsche Center. The loss dropped the Golden Grizzlies to 5-9 in Horizon League play, while the Panthers improved to 6-6 overall.

Senior middle hitter Jamie Walling totaled a team-best 10 kills to lead the OU attack. It marked the ninth time this season she reached double-figure kills. Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Welch contributed offensively with seven kills at an impressive .438 hitting clip. Sophomore setter AnnaBelle Tomei also had a strong match with 15 assists and eight digs. 

Defensively, senior libero Lindsay Wightman tallied a match-high 20 digs. The duo of Kerra Cornist and Jessica Riedl led the middle with two blocks apiece. 

The Golden Grizzlies jumped out to a 13-9 advantage in the first set, but MKE responded with a 4-0 run to even the score at 13-all. Oakland managed to gain a 22-19 lead after four unanswered points later in the set. The Panthers answered back with six-straight points to take the opening set, 25-22. In total, the set featured 11 ties and six lead changes. 

Oakland and Milwaukee continued to go back and forth in the second set, as the score was tied 14-all. However, a 9-0 MKE run helped the Panthers cruise to a 25-15 set win and a 2-0 advantage in the match. 

The Golden Grizzlies fell behind early in the third set, as MKE built an 11-4 lead. A 3-0 scoring run minimized OU's deficit to five points, 23-18, but the Panthers held on for a match-deciding 25-18 victory in the third set. 

OU will be back in action next Monday (March 22) at Youngstown State for its final regular-season series of the 2021 spring campaign.