BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic volleyball (11-8, 3-3 AAC) picked up a huge statement win on Friday, earning a dominant four-set victory (25-19, 25-17, 25-27, 25-17) over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (10-7, 3-3 AAC) at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3 – TULSA 1
The Owls earned a huge conference statement win on Friday, earning a four-set win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Arianna Beckham and Valeria Rosado led the Owls in the win. Beckham tallied a match-leading 21 kills and secured her first career double-double with 12 digs. Valeria Rosado posted her team-leading fourth double-double of the season with a career-best 19 digs and 16 kills. Victoria Hensley also had a fantastic night for the Owls, powering a dominant Owls offense with a career-best 54 assists, while also adding a season-high three kills and five digs. Isabelle Northam led the Owls’ back row, tying a career-best 23 digs. Lauryn Green once again was the Owls’ dominant net presence, posting a team-leading three blocks, including one solo block in the win.
The Golden Hurricane took the first point, but the Owls quickly scored two off a Tulsa attack error and a Beckham kill to take the lead at 2-1. The Owls maintained the lead through a 9-6 advantage before a 4-0 Tulsa run put the Golden Hurricane back in front at 10-9, however Kaila Ru recorded a kill to bring things back even at 10, before an 11-5 Owl run would put Florida Atlantic in front 21-15 after another kill from Beckham. Tulsa closed back within four at 23-19, but a pair of kills from Rosado and Green sealed the deal at 25-19 to give the Owls the 1-0 lead.
Tulsa took the opening point in the second, but a 3-0 Florida Atlantic quickly flipped the tables to put the Owls in front 3-1. The Owls then mounted a 9-4 run to take a 12-5 advantage. Tulsa cut the Owls’ lead to just two after a 9-2 run, however Florida Atlantic then scored seven unanswered to quickly push the lead back out to nine, 23-14. Tulsa then went on a 3-1 run, but it was too little too late as Romina Cornelio closed out the set with a kill, 25-17, to capture the second and give the Owls the two-set advantage, 2-0.
The Owls quickly battled out to an 11-6 lead in the third set. Florida Atlantic maintained a two-point advantage through 21-19, however two back-to-back points for the Golden Hurricane brought things even at 21. The Owls scored off twice off kills from Beckham and Rosado to hold a 23-21 lead, but Tulsa evened things once again at 23. Florida Atlantic led 25-24, but the Golden Hurricane scored back-to-back-to-back points to narrowly steal the third 27-25 and force a decisive fourth set, 2-1.
Florida Atlantic opened the fourth on a 5-3 run, but Tulsa responded with three unanswered to take the lead 6-5. Tulsa maintained the lead at 7-6, but the Owls locked in to produce a 7-1 run to quickly add some insurance for a 13-8 advantage. The Owls kept the Golden Hurricane at bay through a four-point advantage at 16-12, before scoring back-to-back-to-back points off a pair of Tulsa errors and a kill from Rosado to make it 19-12 Owls. The Golden Hurricane went on a 5-3 run to try and cut into the Owls’ lead, making it 22-17, but Florida Atlantic put the match away off a pair of kills from Beckham and Ru and a Tulsa attack error to take the fourth 25-17 and secure the four-set win, 3-1.
UP NEXT
The Owls will return to the court on Sunday as they welcome the SMU Mustangs for a 1 p.m. first serve inside Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
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