University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

UCO improves to 9-0 following Tarleton State Classic sweep

9/10/2016 4:50:00 PM | By: Chris Brannick

STEPHENVILLE, Texas - The University of Central Oklahoma women's volleyball team defeated Lubbock Christian 3-0 at the Tarleton State Classic Saturday.

The Bronchos improved to 9-0 on the season with the win. The games keep getting closer and harder to finish, but UCO keeps winning. The Bronchos won the first set 25-23, the second 25-20 and third set 25-23 to finish the weekend in Texas a perfect 4-0.

What's more impressive than the Bronchos undefeated start to the 2016 season? UCO has only dropped one set in nine matches. Eight of the Bronchos' nine wins have been 3-0 wins with the lone exception being a 3-1 win over Texas A&M International last weekend in Durant, Okla.

Saturday, UCO used a strong defensive effort to jump start the game.

"We had a great defensive effort by the back row," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "We had four players with double-digit digs. Bonnie Vernon was great in leading that effort with 16 digs. And Taylor Bevis was good to support both the offensive and defensive attack."

Bevis had 14 digs, Dominique Lipari had 13, and Mehana Fonseca had 11.

Bevis' solid day ended with 44 total attacks and a team-high 12 kills. Ijeoma Njenje also had 12 kills and only two errors. Njenje followed her standout performance Saturday morning against Texas-Permian Basin, when she hit .390, with a .400 percent game in the afternoon.

"We had a good offensive game, particularly from Ijeoma," Miraku said. "Fulani Petties also had a great game with nine kills and hitting .318."

The Bronchos will have a short time to rest up before hosting the UCO Crossover Tournament next weekend in Edmond. UCO plays four games in two days on Friday and Saturday at Hamilton Field House.

First on the lineup is Northwestern State on Friday at noon, followed by Southwestern on Friday at 6 p.m. The Bronchos host East Central on Saturday at 11 a.m. and Southern Nazarene on Saturday at 6 p.m.

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