SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Fourth-ranked University of Central Oklahoma (9-0) maintained its perfect record with a 3-0 victory over Florida Southern College volleyball (5-1) at Bill Greehey Arena, with set scores of 25-16, 25-16, and 25-19. This match marked the final showdown of the 2025 Rattler Invitational, hosted by St. Mary's in San Antonio, Texas.
The first set saw the Moccasins struggle to contain the Bronchos' offensive momentum, as UCO capitalized on a series of attacks by Sydney Huck, resulting in an early 5-2 lead. Despite a spirited response from sophomore
Bali Coles, who delivered multiple kills, UCO maintained control, with critical contributions from Kamryn Glover and Mikiah Perdue extending their advantage. A late push, including a kill from freshman
Whitney Mall and a service error by the Bronchos, was not enough to close the gap, as the set concluded 25-16 in favor of UCO.
The second set began with the Mocs capitalizing on two consecutive attack errors by Central Oklahoma to take an early 2-0 lead. Despite a balanced contribution from senior
Morgan Word with several key kills, Central Oklahoma's Kamryn Glover led a critical mid-set surge, scoring multiple points to help her team build a 6-0 run, extending their lead to 12-6. Florida Southern attempted to rally late, with Coles and Word each delivering timely kills, but UCO maintained their momentum and closed the set with a final 25-16 win.
The third set began with FSC taking an early lead with a kill by Coles, assisted by freshman
Brielle Mullen, to put them on the scoreboard first. However, the Bronchos quickly responded with a scoring run, capitalizing on several attack errors to gain a 5-1 advantage. A strategic move by the Moccasins saw Word contribute a crucial kill, and subsequent efforts by freshman
Chloe Moreland and sophomore
Lindsay Piktel helped close the gap to 19-20. Despite these efforts, UCO managed to pull away in the final stretch, with Kedron Burk's decisive kill sealing the set at 25-19 in favor of the Bronchos.
Coles led the way for the Moccasins with 13 kills and added a service ace. Word contributed significantly with five kills and two service aces, while also recording two blocks. Moreland finished with six kills and two blocks. Defensively, sophomore
Nako Sasaki excelled by collecting 18 digs, aiding the team's efforts on the backline.
Lindsey Houran led the Bronchos with 34 assists over three sets, also contributing 11 digs and five kills with a hitting percentage of .500. Huck was another standout, recording 15 kills and accumulating 15 points, showcasing her impact on the court. Kaitlyn Parrott was a defensive anchor, leading the team with 17 digs across the same span, bolstering their backrow efforts.
Looking ahead, FSC's volleyball team will take on West Florida at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 19. The match is set to begin at 4 p.m.
