Sooners Outlast Ohio State in Five-Set Home Opener

Thursday, September 3

7 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

3-0,0-0SEC

Ohio State

2-3,0-0Big Ten

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Ohio St.	21	25	23	25	12	2
Oklahoma	25	23	25	22	15	3

Carley Butler celebrates win over Ohio State

Photo by: Sutton Spinner/University of Oklahoma

Sooners Outlast Ohio State in Five-Set Home Opener

September 03, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

NORMAN – Oklahoma volleyball opened its 2026 home slate with a Big Ten/SEC Challenge thriller Thursday night, outlasting Ohio State in five sets (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12) at McCasland Field House.

The Sooners improved to 3-0 on the season, responding after Ohio State forced a decisive fifth set to close out their third straight victory. Oklahoma finished with 75 kills while hitting .254 and held a 14-8 advantage in blocks.

Tekoa Barnes led the Sooner attack with a career-high 24 kills on a .308 clip, adding career highs of 10 digs and a game-high six blocks for the first double-double of her career. Alaleh Tolliver added 20 kills and eight digs, while Alyssa Flack recorded a career-high 18 kills and had three blocks.

Avaya Maga directed the offense with a career-high 65 assists to go along with 13 digs and a career-best three blocks. Kinsley Singleton led the Sooners with 18 digs, while Carley Butler and Ada Awagu provided strong performances in the middle. Butler recorded career highs of eight kills and four blocks and Awagu tallied career highs of five kills and four blocks while hitting .625.

SET ONE
The opening frame featured 13 ties and six lead changes as neither team created much separation early. With the score even at 18-18, Barnes put Oklahoma ahead with a kill before the Sooners stretched the advantage to 21-18. Ohio State pulled within two twice down the stretch, but OU closed out the 25-21 victory on a block from Butler and Maga.

SET TWO
Ohio State jumped out to a 6-1 advantage and maintained control for much of the second set, eventually building its largest lead at 20-13. The Sooners made a late push, scoring nine of the next 12 points to pull within one at 23-22. Tolliver fought off one set point with a kill to make it 24-23, but the Buckeyes secured the next point for a 25-23 win to even the match.

SET THREE
The Buckeyes again held the early advantage in the third, leading 10-7 before Oklahoma began to chip away. The Sooners pulled even at 14-14 and took the lead on the next point before eventually building a 24-21 advantage. Ohio State fought off two set points, but Barnes put away her eighth kill of the frame to secure the 25-23 victory and a 2-1 Oklahoma lead.

SET FOUR
The fourth set remained tight through the midway point before Ohio State broke a 14-14 tie with three consecutive points. Oklahoma battled back to even the frame at 18-18, but the Buckeyes answered with four straight points to regain control. OU pulled within one at 23-22 before Ohio State scored the final two points for a 25-22 win to send the match to a fifth.

SET FIVE
Oklahoma never trailed in the deciding frame. The teams were tied five times through the first 16 points before the Sooners broke an 8-8 deadlock with three straight points to take control. Ohio State pulled within one at 12-11, but Barnes answered with a kill before Flack followed with another to give OU match point. After an Ohio State point, Barnes delivered the final kill to seal the 15-12 victory.

LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma returns to McCasland Field House on Friday to face Washington at 2 p.m. Both teams enter the matchup with undefeated records, as the Huskies topped Ole Miss 3-2 on Thursday to improve to 4-0.