SHAWNEE, Okla. – The East Central University volleyball team made a quick trip to Shawnee on Thursday night to face Oklahoma Baptist University in a Great American Conference matchup. Despite showing flashes of fight, the Tigers ultimately fell in straight sets to the undefeated Bison (15-25, 21-25, 20-25).
 
With the loss, ECU drops to 3-2 in conference play, while OBU improves to a perfect 5-0.
 
Set one was all Bison from the start, as they jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead and extended the margin to 14-4. The Tigers attempted to rally but couldn't close the gap, dropping the opening frame 25-15.
 
The second set proved to be a tighter contest, with neither team leading by more than two points until the final moments. The score was tied five times, and ECU trailed narrowly at 22-21 before OBU closed it out with three straight points to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
Set three began with promise for ECU, who took an early 2-0 lead before the Bison evened things up at 4-4. A 5-0 OBU run then shifted the momentum, putting the Tigers on the back foot. ECU responded with a 5-0 run of their own, fueled by strong serving from Bailey Kaawa, to close the gap to 16-14. But the Bison proved too steady down the stretch, closing out the final set 25-20 to seal the match.
 
Despite the loss, there were bright spots for the Tigers. Paula Ramos sparked the offense with a career-high 11 kills, stepping up on the outside. Faiana Halatoa added eight kills and tied for a team-high 12 digs. Macey Goodwin and Valentina Tijerina also notched 12 digs each, while Emily Pena paced the offense with 24 assists.
 
The Tigers will look to bounce back next week on the road, as they face Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas University on Oct. 9 and 10 in more GAC action.