Sooners Pull off Reverse Sweep to Advance to Second Round

Friday, December 6

Pittsburgh, Pa.

3:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

15-10,8-8SEC

UTEP

27-6,16-2CUSA

UTEP

Oklahoma

Sooners Pull off Reverse Sweep to Advance to Second Round

December 06, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score

PITTSBURGH – Facing an early elimination, the Oklahoma volleyball team pulled off an incredible reverse sweep over the University of Texas at El Paso in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Down 2-0 in the match, the Sooners (15-10) dominated the final three sets to take the match, 19-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-9, over UTEP (27-6). This was the first tournament win for Oklahoma since 2013, when the Sooners advanced to the second round of the Stanford Regional.

"Making the tournament is as hard as it's ever been," head coach Aaron Mansfield said. "UTEP made it really tough on us and we had to earn it and that's what you want when you're on this stage. I'm really proud of our group for sticking with it."

Alexis Shelton led all players with 21 kills on the night and added six digs, four blocks and two aces. Lydia Martyn and Kamille Gibson each tallied 12 kills, with Martyn hitting at an impressive .688 clip. Kari Geissberger also chipped in 11 kills, while adding two blocks.

Payton Chamberlain recorded 50 assists on the night with two aces and seven digs. Callie Kemohah recorded 16 digs, while Whitney Wallace added six.

The Sooners took an early 6-2 lead with Geissberger behind the service line for three-straight points. Up 15-10, OU allowed a 10-2 run from the Miners as UTEP took a 20-17 lead to force an OU timeout. The Miners closed out with a 5-2 run to take the first set, 25-19. OU fell behind early in the second and couldn't overcome the deficit, dropping the second set 25-22.

In the third, the Sooners led 15-13 at the media timeout after Shelton picked up her 10^th kill of the match. OU forced a UTEP timeout up three, 19-16, as Martyn threw down her seventh kill of the match. With Chamberlain behind the service line, the Sooners put together a run to take a 22-17 lead. A kill down the line by Geissberger gave OU set point and an error from the Miners gave OU the set, 25-19.

A 7-3 lead for OU in the fourth forced an early timeout from the Miners. With a one-point lead at 10-9, the Sooners used a 6-3 run to take a four-point lead off a block from Martyn and Geissberger. OU extended its lead to 22-13 with four blocks in the set. UTEP used a 5-0 run to pull with four at 22-18 before a Shelton kill stopped the attack. The Miners fought off two set points but Gibson sealed the victory, 25-21.

In the fifth, the Sooners rattled off four-straight points to open the frame. At the switch, the Sooners led 8-3 as Shelton picked up her 19^th kill of the match. With match point at 14-7, the Miners tried to rally, but a service error ultimately gave the Sooners the set and the match.

The Sooners will return to the court on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT to face the winner of the Morehead State/Pittsburgh match.

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