HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - In their second matchup against Northern Kentucky this weekend, the Oakland volleyball team fought hard but ultimately lost 3-0 today at Regents Hall.

SET ONE: OAKLAND 12, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 25
In the first set of the match between Oakland and Northern Kentucky, the Golden Grizzlies struggled to find their rhythm as the Norse secured a 25-12 victory. 

The Norse came out strong, using aggressive serving and efficient offense to build an early lead. Key players, Tyler Linkhart, Libby Smith and Olivia Rust, all contributed with two kills each, and Ainsley Guse added a kill and a service ace. 

Despite these strong efforts, the Golden Grizzlies had trouble building any consistent offense. Unable to recover from an early deficit, Oakland ultimately fell short and dropped the first set.

SET TWO: OAKLAND 14, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 25
In the second set, Oakland University came out strong, matching Northern Kentucky point-for-point early on and keeping the score tied in the opening moments. 

Linkhart continued to fuel the Golden Grizzlies offense, adding four kills to keep Oakland in the race. Smith also made an impact, delivering back-to-back kills that briefly sparked a rally. 

As the set progressed, Northern Kentucky began to capitalize on a few of Oakland errors and built a lead that Oakland couldn't overcome. Despite a late push to close the gap, the Golden Grizzlies ultimately fell short, unable to complete a full comeback, and lost set number two.

SET THREE: OAKLAND 25, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 27
The third set started with Rachel Rossman delivering a service ace, setting the tone for the Golden Grizzlies. From there, Oakland built momentum, staying ahead as Northern Kentucky struggled with attack errors.  

The Golden Grizzlies capitalized on those mistakes and kept the pressure on with strong offensive plays, including a trio of kills from Sydney Green, Linkhart and Smith. Emily Wichmann also contributed with a service ace and solid defensive efforts. Oakland continued to play well defensively, with key blocks at the net from Guse and Rossman, preventing Northern Kentucky from making any serious runs.

Although Oakland played hard and the set was close, they ultimately fell short to Northern Kentucky and lost the match.


At the match's conclusion, Linkhart led the Golden Grizzlies in kills with nine, and  Wichmann led Oakland with 15 digs. Additionally, Rossman had the most assists for the Golden Grizzlies with 15.

Next, the Golden Grizzlies will play against Wright State both Friday (Nov. 15) and Saturday (Nov. 16), at the OU Credit Union O'rena in their season finale, with both games streaming live on ESPN+.