Pirates Outlast Oklahoma for Season-Opening Win

Friday, August 25

Norman, OK

8:00 PM

Seton Hall University

1-0

Oklahoma

0-1

Seton Hall

Oklahoma

8/26/2017 12:13:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score HOME INFO BOX SCORE

NORMAN, OKLA. – Junior Abby Thelen (Ft. Mitchell, Ky.) recorded a match-high 18 kills as the Seton Hall women's volleyball team outlasted Oklahoma, 3-2 (25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 15-11), to open the 2017 season on Friday.

Three Pirates reached double-figures in kills as the Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak in season-openers.

SET 1:
The Pirates got off to a slow start, but turned on the offense late in set one. Trailing 18-14, The Hall went on an 8-2 run, fueled by a trio of kills by Thelen to take a 22-20 advantage. Oklahoma cut the Pirate lead to 24-23, but a kill by newcomer Sharay Barnes (Swarthmore, Pa.) cemented the slim victory, 25-23.

SET 2:
The second set was equally as close with the Sooners grabbing an 18-16 lead. The Pirates however, charged back again and scored six of the next seven points. An ace by Dominque Mason (Chicago, Ill.) gave Seton Hall a 22-19 advantage. The Hall entered set point at 24-21, but Oklahoma called a time out and scored the next two points to pull to within one. After the break, an Oklahoma service error handed the second set to the Pirates, 25-23. Thelen notched eight of her 18 kills in set two alone.

SET 3:
The Sooners took an early 3-2 lead and never trailed again in set three. The Pirates were limited to just a .103 attack percentage in a 25-21 loss.

SET 4:
Oklahoma tied the match with a convincing set four victory, 25-17. The Pirates never led in the set, and despite four kills by Mason, they connected on a match-low -.024 attack percentage. The Sooners meanwhile, recorded a team-best .231 in set four.

SET 5:
The Sooners scored the first point of the fifth set, but it was their last lead of the match. The Pirates maintained a slim lead throughout the set and a bad set by Oklahoma gave them a 13-9 advantage and forced a timeout. With The Hall in match point at 14-11, a kill by Caitlin Koska (Franklin, Wis.) clinched the first victory of the season.

Inside the Numbers:

Thelen finished with 18 kills, nine digs and three blocks.
Mason had 14 kills and seven digs.
Barnes had 10 kills and six digs in her Seton Hall debut.
Junior Sophia Coffey (Sierra Madre, Calif.) notched a double-double with team-highs of 22 assists and 13 digs.
Senior Sarah Kenneweg (Poolesville, Md.) had 11 digs and six assists.
Sophomore Maggie Cvelbar (Euclid, Ohio) had 20 assists and eight digs.
Seton Hall recorded a .162 attack percentage for the match, while Oklahoma attacked at .201.
Seton Hall finished with 58 team kills, while Oklahoma had 50.
The Pirates totaled 61 team digs, while Oklahoma had 56.

News & Notes:

The Pirates improve to 1-1 all-time against Oklahoma.
Coffey played in her 63 consecutive match, which leads all active Pirates.

Up Next:
The Pirates will continue play at the Oklahoma Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 26 with a pair of matches. The Hall will face Colorado at 11:00 am ET and Northwestern State at 5:30 pm ET.