NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt volleyball student-athlete Kamryn Chaney tallied a team-high 19 kills on Friday night, while hitting at a .341 clip, her highest hitting percentage in an SEC match this season.
The Commodores (4-8, 0-3 SEC) battled through four sets with Oklahoma (10-3, 2-1 SEC) but ultimately came up short, falling 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-23) in their SEC home opener at Memorial Gymnasium.
Vandy had three players, including Chaney, record 10-plus kills. Jackie Moore registered 11, hitting .429, and Reese Animashaun tallied 10. Setter Isabella Bareford had 42 assists vs. the Sooners, her fifth 40-plus assist performance this season.
Animashaun was also one of three Dores to reach double-digit digs. She registered a team-leading 14 digs en route to her third double-double of the season. Elli Kinney and Hailee Mack recorded 12 and 13 digs, respectively. Kayla Dunlap and Moore each posted a trio of blocks to aid the Dores’ defensive efforts.
Oklahoma’s offense was paced by setters Harper Hall and Avaya Maga, who recorded 19 and 17 assists, respectively. Alexis Shelton, a third-team All-American in 2024, led the Sooners with 18 kills. Emoni Bush added 13 kills and nine digs for Arkansas. Additionally, Dionii Fraga and Maga each recorded nine digs. The Sooners’ blocking efforts were powered by KJ Burgess, who recorded seven blocks, and Bush, who contributed five.
Vanderbilt opened the match with a come-from-behind win in set 1. The score was tight throughout, but the Dores did not take their first lead until point 19. Chaney, who tallied seven kills in the opening frame, scored the set-winning point for Vandy.
In the second set, the Sooners took an early four-point advantage, but Vandy went on a 5-1 scoring run to tie the score at 15 all. Oklahoma closed out the set on a 7-1 run. The final score was 25-18, Sooners.
Like sets 1 and 2, the third set was neck-and-neck. The Commodores hit .393, which was the team’s highest hitting percentage in a set all night. Vandy recorded 17 digs, compared to the Sooners’ seven, but Oklahoma’s four service aces helped propel the team to a 25-23 set win and a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Vandy’s offense came out swinging in the fourth set, earning a 14-10 lead. The two squads traded blows, tying the score 14 times throughout the set. Oklahoma eventually emerged victorious, winning the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-1.
Up next, Vanderbilt volleyball hosts Arkansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets are priced at just $1 and can be purchased online. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Alex Gould and Dawn Davenport on the call.
