ROCHESTER, Mich. — The Oakland Golden Grizzlies Volleyball team (0-8) fell in a pair of matches on the opening day of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational Friday, dropping 3-1 to Southern Illinois (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-10) and Xavier (25-20, 25-19, 19-25, 25-19) inside the OU Credit Union O'rena. Despite a big hitting line of .203 as a team, SIU (4-4) operated with a .297 throughout all four sets, while OU's 55 kills against Xavier (8-1) weren't enough to their 64 collective digs.

In the opening match against the Salukis, outside hitter Molly Reck led the Oakland team with 13 kills and contributed two aces, while middle blocker Grace Cooney posted an efficient performance, tallying 10 kills and a hitting percentage of .474. setter Delaney Stern facilitated the offense with 22 assists, while defensive specialist Kiley Gallagher anchored the defense with 11 digs. Against the Musketeers to end the night, opposite hitter Libby Smith had a career night: recording 17 kills and contributing 12 digs across four sets. Stern dealt 25 assists to reach a career 500 in the category, while also contributing six digs and opposite hitter Ella Schomer added 11 kills and one ace, tallying 12.5 points in four matches.


MATCH 1 VS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
The first set began with Cooney making an early impact for the home team, Oakland, with back-to-back kills from Delaney Stern, giving the team a quick 2-0 lead. Southern Ill. responded with a scoring surge, pulling ahead to 11-3 before Schomer and Smith helped OU close the gap with decisive kills and blocks from the net. In a tense finish, Smith delivered decisive kills at 24-23 and 25-23, securing the set victory for the home team.

The second set began with a back-and-forth exchange, but Southern Illinois took an early 3-0 lead before Schomer delivered a kill to put Oakland on the board. Outside hitter Molly Reck's consistent performance was a highlight for Oakland, contributing multiple kills, including two consecutive points to draw the score even at 5-5. Later in the set, a solid defensive play from outside hitter Ella Martin and middle blocker Anika Prisby stopped a Saluki run, narrowing the gap to 7-5. Despite a late push by Oakland, including an ace from Reck and several attacks by setter Mya Kattula, Southern Illinois secured the set.

The third frame opened with Oakland taking an early lead at 1-0 following a kill by Cooney, set up by Stern. SIU responded by pulling ahead, but Oakland leveled the score at 5-5 through a combination of plays, including a crucial kill by Smith. Midway through the set, Oakland showed resilience, closing the gap to 17-17 with three back-to-back kills by Cooney. Despite Oakland's late surge, including a kill by Reck to bring the score to 23-24, Southern Illinois secured the set with a final kill.

Oakland took an early 2-0 lead to open up the fourth set, highlighted by kills from Smith, assisted by Stern and liberoLyse Bates. However, SIU quickly responded and gained momentum on the home team. The visitors capitalized on a series of attack errors and a strong offensive stretch, including a six-point run that extended their lead to 13-6. Despite a few strong attacks from the right side of Smith, Southern Illinois maintained control and finished the set with a 15 point margin.



MATCH 2 VS XAVIER
The opening set witnessed a strong start from Oakland, with Smith leading the charge through powerful back-to-back kills,. After building a 16-9 lead courtesy of a service ace by Kattula and gameplay, the team faced resistance as Xavier responded with a crucial run, leveling the score at 16-16. Despite a late tie at 19-19, Xavier capitalized on errors to close the set with a 25-20 victory, using a decisive 6-1 run to secure the win.

The second set began with a series of trades but quickly saw the Musketeers gain momentum, building an 8-1 lead with Jamison Gordon delivering two service aces. Oakland responded with Schomer's two kills, but the Musketeers maintained control, extending their lead to 16-7. Oakland fought back with a late push, highlighted by consecutive kills from Smith and Ella Martin, narrowing the gap to 24-19. Despite this rally, Xavier clinched the set 25-19 after an attack error from Lyse Bates.

The third set began with a balanced exchange of points, but a key run by the Golden Grizzlies shifted the momentum. Notably, Schomer and Smith contributed crucial kills, each aided by Stern's assists, helping Oakland maintain their advantage. Outside hitter Olivia Rust also played a pivotal role, capping the set with a series of strategic plays and blocks, ultimately leading Oakland to secure the set.

The fourth set began with a strong opening by Oakland, as Cooney secured a point with a kill assisted by Stern. Despite early exchanges, Xavier capitalized on a series of errors by Oakland, pulling ahead to a 5-3 lead. Oakland's efforts to close the gap were highlighted by kills from Smith and Prisby, each assisted by Stern. However, a late surge by Xavier, including key plays from Margo Kemp and Emma Grace, allowed them to maintain control and close the set with a 25-19 victory.

Next up, Oakland will host Eastern Michigan for their final match of the tournament on Saturday, Sept. 13, inside the OU Credit Union O'rena. The match up is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET.


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.