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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

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Spence1
UCO Photo Services
Jordan Spence
3
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 21-1, 7-1
1
Fort Hays State FHSU 18-6, 4-5
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
21-1, 7-1
3
Final
1
Fort Hays State FHSU
18-6, 4-5
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 25 24 25 30 (3)
Fort Hays State FHSU 23 26 21 28 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Spence Spurs Bronchos Past FHSU

HAYS, Kan. (Oct. 14) – Jordan Spence notched eight of her career-high 21 kills in the fourth set to carry No. 10-ranked Central Oklahoma past Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Fort Hays State here Friday night.
 
The Bronchos survived 25-23, 24-26, 25-21, 30-28 in a thrilling back-and-forth battle that saw massive momentum changes in each set before UCO finally prevailed in improving to 21-1 on the season and 7-1 in the league.  The Tigers fell to 18-6 and 4-5.
 
"It was a great match that could have gone either way and we were fortunate to come out on top," head coach Edgar Miraku said.  "It's a huge win on the road against a quality opponent and I'm really proud of the way our girls came together to get it done.  We made some big plays in crucial situations, which is the mark of a veteran team."
 
Spence led the way, finishing with 21 kills and just three errors in 41 attacks for a .439 hitting percentage.  Taylor Bevis had a match-high 23 kills along with 17 digs and Ijeoma Njenje added 12 kills.
 
Dominique Lipari came through with 25 digs, while senior leaders Mikayla Bangasser (22) and Bonnie Vernon (18) both had career-high dig outings in helping lead a stout defensive effort.  Setter Katy Davis paced the offense once again, handing out a season-high 59 assists to go with 14 digs.
 
FHSU led early in the fourth set and was up 7-5 when Spence knocked down four kills in a 6-0 run to put the Bronchos on top 11-7.  UCO went on to take a 16-11 lead, but the Tigers rallied to pull even at 18 and it was tied again at 19 and 20.
 
Fort Hays surged in front 23-21 before back-to-back kills by Bevis and Njenje made it 23-all.  It was deadlocked again at 27 after a Spence kill, but the Tigers went ahead 28-27 on a block and was serving to square the match when Spence tied it one final time with her eighth kill of the set.
 
Bevis finally put the Bronchos ahead to stay with a solo block and the sophomore standout followed with her fifth kill of the set to end the match.
 
The first set was a 16-all stalemate before a Bevis kill and two consecutive Spence spikes put UCO in front to stay 19-16, with Bevis getting the final two kills to end the 25-23 thriller.
 
FHSU scored the final four points of the second set to overcome a 24-22 deficit in tying the match and the Tigers had a 7-5 lead in the third set before Spence had two kills in a 4-0 spurt that gave the Bronchos the lead for good.
 
UCO moves on to Kearney, Neb. Saturday to face No. 3-rated Nebraska-Kearney at 7 p.m.
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