MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fueled by a balanced assault that was highlighted by 20 kills from
Shaylee Myers and double-double efficiency from
Ava LeGrand, Ok-State opened the 2025 season with a straight-set victory – 25-20, 25-16, 25-15 – on the Ok-State Invitational at Morgan Family Arena Friday evening.
After 4 lead modifications, the Cats scored 5 consecutive factors led by kills from
Jordyn Williams and Myers to shut Set 1 and set the tone for the sweep.
In a back-and-forth opening body that featured 4 lead modifications, the Wildcats seized momentum with a 5-0 scoring run led by kills from
Jordyn Williams and Myers, to take Set 1 and set the tone for the sweep.
With a career-high 32 assists from LeGrand, the Wildcats produced a .310 crew hitting proportion with 43 kills on 100 swings. The Cats’ protection restricted the Retrievers to a .076 hitting proportion behind eight blocks, whereas holding a 43-40 edge in digs.
LeGrand notched her fourth profession double-double, because the senior setter handed out a match- and career-high 32 assists to go along with a team-high 12 digs. The Papillion, Nebraska product was additionally credited with 4 blocks with two aces.
Myers, a local of Lincoln, Nebraska, eclipsed the 20-mark for simply the second time in her profession and fell three wanting matching her career-best set her freshman season towards Missouri in 2022. The senior outdoors hitter/reverse hit at a .462 clip with simply two errors on 39 swings.
In addition to LeGrand,
Brenna Schmidt totaled 4 blocks adopted by
Jordyn Williams with three, whereas freshman
Caleigh Ponn eclipsed the 10-dig mark in her collegiate debut.
FROM THE CATS Jason Mansfield, Ok-State Head Coach Overall Statement… “I thought we started well, and then kind of let them back in. I thought we did a good job of finishing the first set and then being more patient in the second set and letting things happen and staying aggressive at the same time. But I’m just proud of how we played. I thought the crowd was incredible tonight, and it’s so great to start the match, start the season at home.”
On taking part in at house… “It’s so great. We started the season on the road last year. We played the first four matches on the road. And so, it’s just so great to be at home and the crowd again, the crowd really showed up tonight, and we fed off their energy. And we’ve been waiting a long time to play a match again in the arena. So, it’s wonderful to get a win, but it’s also even better to get a win at home and feel like we have the crowd behind us and kind of feed off them.”
SET-BY-SET Set 1 – Ok-State 25, UMBC 20 - Myers led all gamers with seven kills, hitting at a .429 clip with only one error on 14 swings to associate with 5 digs.
- The Cats’ protection held the Retrievers to a .049 hitting proportion behind 4 complete blocks, together with led by two apiece from LeGrand, Schmidt, and Williams.
Set 2 – Ok-State 25, UMBC 16
- Myers tallied a set-high six kills within the second set on 16 swings with one error (.312), adopted by three kills from Fox.
- Williams registered two blocks, together with a solo cease, whereas Ponn led the again row with six digs.
Set 3 – Ok-State 25, UMBC 15
- Ok-State shortly jumped out to a 10-2 lead and held on to place the third set away.
- The Wildcats hit an unbelievable .636 in Set 3 behind seven kills from Myers, who posted a .778 hitting proportion with no errors, and 9 assists from LeGrand.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Ok-State swept previous UMBC – 25-20, 25-16, 25-15 – Friday evening at Morgan Family Arena.
- The Cats hit .310 (43 kills, 12 errors) towards the Retrievers .076 (32 kills, 24 errors).
- Myers led all gamers with 20 kills, hitting at a .462 clip on 39 swings, and was adopted by Clinton with seven kills.
- LeGrand handed out 32 assists to go along with 12 digs to register – the primary double-double of the season.
- As a crew, Ok-State totaled eight blocks led by 4 from LeGrand and Schmidt and three from Williams.
- In addition to LeGrand, Ponn reached the 10-dig mark, that included a match-high six within the second set.
- Two gamers reached double-digit kills from UMBC – Brown (11), Dobbs (10) – whereas Frankovich posted 4 blocks.
- Friday’s match noticed 10 tie scores and simply 4 lead modifications.
BEYOND THE BOX
- Ok-State has received six consecutive units towards UMBC.
- Under Mansfield, Ok-State strikes to 2-1 in season openers.
- Ok-State is 15-12 at Morgan Family Arena since its opening in 2023.
- Caleigh Ponn, Lauren Schneider and Alex Klukvin every made their collegiate debuts within the nightcap.
- Myers performed in her 70th profession match and turned in her second 20-kill match of her profession (Last: 23 vs. Missouri, Sept. 7, 2022).
- LeGrand registered the primary double-double of the season for the Cats and fourth of her profession.
UP NEXT
Ok-State will conclude the Ok-State Invitational Sunday towards Delaware at 1 p.m. at Morgan Family Arena.