CLEVELAND, Ohio — Despite a late fourth set surge, Oakland volleyball (5-19, 5-7 HL) dropped 3-1 (12-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22) to Cleveland State (6-17, 4-8 HL) on Tuesday inside Woodling Gymnasium. Oakland secured a dominant first-set victory, aided by eight service aces throughout the match, but CSU responded with stronger attacks in the subsequent sets, achieving a higher hitting percentage.

Libero Lyse Bates finished with 19 digs from the back row as starting setter Delaney Stern set up the offense effectively, recording 35 assists over four sets. Middle blocker Grace Cooney led the attack with 10 kills while contributing defensively with a block assist. Middle blocker Ellen Zapp made a strong impact from the service line, tallying four service aces and hitting at a .353 clip with eight kills.

Oakland began the first set strongly, with defensive specialist Kalli Cook setting up Zapp for the initial point. Oakland's momentum was boosted by defensive specialist Kiley Gallagher's impressive serving streak, tallying two service aces and extending the lead, 10-2. Oakland continued to capitalize on the Vikings' errors, widening the gap with contributions from Cooney and outside hitter Olivia Rust. Despite a late push from the Vikings, Oakland closed the set with a decisive 13-point advantage.

The Golden Grizzlies initiated a comeback midway through the second set when Zapp delivered a service ace at 15-13, showcasing a strong rally that evened the score at 15-15. Cooney and Rust contributed key kills, helping Oakland maintain momentum. Despite these efforts, CSU pulled ahead late to tie the match.

Oakland opened the third set with a promising start, establishing a 5-3 lead following a service ace by Gallagher and a kill on the left from outside hitter Molly Reck. Cooney and Rust each contributed back-to-back kills, keeping OU competitive early. However, the Vikings responded with a significant run, capitalizing on several attacking errors to shift the momentum and increase their lead by seven. Despite a late push from Oakland, including a kill from opposite hitter Caroline Moore, CSU maintained their advantage.

Pushing through with determination in the fourth set, Oakland rallied from a 7-point deficit to tie the score at 22-22. Key contributions came from Reck and Cooney, with Reck delivering a kill down the line assisted by Stern, and Cooney adding another point through the middle to narrow the gap. Despite their efforts, Oakland was unable to maintain the momentum in the final exchanges, as the Vikings took the last three points and secured the match.

Oakland is back in the OU Credit Union O'rena for their annual "Volleyween Weekend" as they play host to Youngstown State. Matches on Friday and Saturday will stream on ESPN+.


How to Follow Oakland Volleyball: For complete information on Oakland Volleyball, follow the team on X at @OaklandWVB and head coach Krista Rice at @KKg1007. The team is also on Instagram.