SHAWNEE, Okla. – The No. 6 East Central University volleyball team opened the 2025 Great American Conference Tournament on Thursday with the first match of the day, taking on No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma State University in a quarterfinal matchup. Despite carrying momentum from their regular-season finale and aiming for a second win this year over the Bulldogs, the Tigers were unable to find their rhythm and ultimately fell in straight sets, concluding their season.
 
ECU closes the year with a 10–21 overall record and a 7–9 mark in GAC play, earning their fifth consecutive postseason berth.

"With a young roster and more obstacles than we ever planned for, this team refused to break," Head Coach Danielle Essix said. "Injuries challenged us, adversity tested us, but their heart carried us to the conference tournament. It was important for them to feel this stage, because now they know the emotion, the intensity, and what it takes to rise to this moment again."

"We battled through every high and low this season, and reaching the conference tournament is a testament to our team's resilience. They showed heart, toughness, and a commitment to competing every single day. This is a foundation I'm really excited to keep building on. I'm proud of the fight they showed and excited for the challenge ahead."
 
The Tigers struggled to generate offense in the opening two frames, dropping both sets 25–10 and 25-12. However, ECU came alive in the third set, outhitting SWOSU .224 to .217 in what became the most competitive frame of the match. The set featured 14 ties and seven lead changes, and ECU positioned itself to extend the match with a 23–21 advantage. Four consecutive Bulldog kills, however, sealed the 3–0 result.
 
Senior Tigers Macey Goodwin, Bailey Kaawa, Valentina Tijerina, Paula Ramos, and Karielys Maldonado took the court for the final time, closing out their collegiate careers.
 
Peyton Spahn and Jayla Buford paced the ECU offense with nine and eight kills, respectively, while Faiana Halatoa and Adelle McCormick added five kills apiece. Emily Pena recorded 23 assists and seven digs, and Tijerina anchored the back row with a team-high 18 digs.
 
With the season now complete, the Tigers turn their focus toward developing their young core and building on the foundation laid throughout the 2025 campaign.