Sooners Come Back to Top Western Kentucky in Five

Thursday, September 17

Bowling Green, KY

6 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

6-2,0-0SEC

Western Kentucky

5-6,0-0CUSA

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Oklahoma	25	23	22	25	15	3
Western Ky.	23	25	25	21	13	2

Photo by: Daem Campbell/University of Oklahoma

Sooners Come Back to Top Western Kentucky in Five

September 17, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Oklahoma volleyball rallied from a 2-1 deficit to earn a five-set road victory over Western Kentucky Thursday night, taking the match 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13) inside E.A. Diddle Arena.

After taking a tightly contested opening set, Oklahoma (6-2) found itself trailing in the match for the first time after Western Kentucky (5-6) claimed the next two frames. The Sooners responded with a late push in the fourth to extend the match, then held off a WKU rally in the fifth to secure their third consecutive victory.

Three Sooners finished with at least 14 kills, led by juniors Alaleh Tolliver and Mikala Young with 16 apiece. Tolliver hit .343 and added 11 digs for a double-double, while junior Carley Butler turned in an efficient performance with a career-high 14 kills and just two errors for a .500 hitting percentage.

Sophomore Avaya Maga recorded a double-double of her own with 52 assists and 11 digs. Sophomore Aniya Warren led Oklahoma defensively with 14 digs, while sophomore Alyssa Flack contributed eight kills and a team-high three aces. The Sooners finished with 64 kills and eight service aces.

SET ONE
Neither side created much separation in an opening set that remained even deep into the frame. With the score tied at 20, Tolliver gave Oklahoma the lead with a kill before Halle Delince pushed the advantage to 22-20. Western Kentucky stayed within one at 24-23, but Butler delivered her fifth kill of the set to secure the 25-23 win.

SET TWO
Western Kentucky created the first significant advantage of the second set, using an 8-2 stretch to move in front 14-9. The Hilltoppers eventually stretched the margin to six before Oklahoma began to chip away. Back-to-back aces from Flack pulled the Sooners within two at 17-15, and OU later cut the deficit to one at 24-23 on a Young kill. Western Kentucky answered on the next point to take the set 25-23 and even the match.

SET THREE
Western Kentucky jumped in front early and built an 18-10 advantage midway through the third. Oklahoma responded with a late charge, using a 9-3 stretch to trim the deficit to 24-19 before kills from Hani and Tolliver helped pull OU within two at 24-22. The Hilltoppers stopped the comeback on the next point to take the frame 25-22 and a 2-1 match lead.

SET FOUR
The fourth remained tight until Western Kentucky used a run to take a 17-12 lead. Oklahoma answered with four straight points to pull within one and eventually moved in front 19-18. With the score tied at 19, Flack put OU back on top before Tolliver followed with consecutive aces and Young added a kill as the Sooners rattled off five straight points for a 24-19 advantage. Young later finished the set with a kill to give Oklahoma the 25-21 victory and force a fifth.

SET FIVE
Oklahoma established an early edge in the deciding set and took an 8-5 advantage on a Butler kill. The Sooners remained in front at 12-9 before Western Kentucky scored three straight to draw even at 12. Flack responded with a kill to put OU back ahead, and a WKU attack error gave the Sooners match point at 14-12. After the Hilltoppers fought off the first opportunity, a service error ended the match at 15-13.

LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma concludes non-conference play Friday against East Tennessee State.