FISHERS, Ind. — The Oakland volleyball team (0-11) dropped three sets to Eastern Michigan (8-4) (25-17, 25-7, 26-24) on Friday inside the Fishers Event Center. The Eagles' offensive efficiency was evident as Oakland hit .130 from the front row. From the service line, three different Golden Grizzlies collected an ace to rally up the score.

Middle blocker Grace Cooney contributed with five kills on 13 attempts and added two block assists, while opposite hitter Caroline Moore led the team with a .278 hitting percentage, recording seven kills and four block assists, along with seven kills from outside hitter Olivia Rust. Setter Mya Kattula facilitated the offense with 18 assists and added six digs and libero Lyse Bates hit double digits from the back row with 11 total digs.

Set one began with Eastern Michigan taking an early lead, capitalizing on two attacking errors to go up 3-0. Oakland responded with a kill by opposite hitter Ella Schomer assisted by starting setter Delaney Stern, closing the gap to 4-2. Later, opposite hitter Libby Smith sparked a rally for Oakland with back-to-back kills, leveling the score at 8-8. Despite Oakland's efforts, including consecutive kills from Moore on the right side, the Eagles finished the set on a decisive 5-0 run.

Oakland experienced a challenging second frame against the Eagles, highlighted by a strong sequence from Rust, who delivered two kills early, keeping the team competitive in the early points. However, Eastern Michigan capitalized on a series of successful attacks, where they extended their lead upwards of 10 points on the board. Despite a late service ace from Bates narrowing the gap, the EMU sealed the set with a 25-7 result.

The final set began with an early service ace by Kattula, setting the tone in the game. Oakland surged ahead midway through, capitalizing on consecutive points, including a kill by Moore at 14-10, highlighting the ball placement from Kattula. Despite a late rally from the Eagles that tied the score at 23-23, the Golden Grizzlies continued to battle, ultimately ending in extra points from Eastern Michigan to complete the match.

OU will be back inside the Fishers Event Center tomorrow to take on host Butler. The match is set for 2 p.m. ET and will be available to watch 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.