BBN Flocks to Norman in a 3-1 Win for No. 4 Kentucky against Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. (LEX Sports) — Big Blue Nation's busy weekend in Norman started well before kickoff between Kentucky football and Oklahoma on Saturday night. Those who made a trip to Norman for the weekend were rewarded with an exciting environment on Friday.

Five quick service errors by Kentucky, and an clinical offensive attack helped give the Sooners an early 16-14 advantage in the opening set. The Wildcats battled back, with some great defense at the net from Lizzie Carr and Brooklyn Deleye to knot things at 19 apiece.

Wildcats finished off the first set on a four point run thanks to a dominant run of serves from Brooklyn DeLeye. The senior outside hitter had a pair of service aces down the stretch, along with a viscious serve that set up an Asia Thigpen kill. Kentucky won the first set 25-21.

DeLeye's fire which sparked a run to close out the first set spread across the entire unit in the second set. Asia Thigpen and Morgan Gaerte traded big swings to give Kentucky a 16-14 lead in the second set. Thigpen finished the night with 13 kills while Gaerte tallied 16 of her own. Thigpen finished off the second set with a incredibly accurate swing to give the Wildcats a 25-22 second set win.

Early in the third set, sophomore setter Kassie O'Brien notched her 2,000th career assist. O'Brien came into the night tied with Oklahoma's Avaya Maga for most assists per set in the conference (11.65). O'Brien finished the night with 43 assists.

The Sooners held a lead for much of the latter stages in the third set. Kentucky's offense went cold, turning in 10 attacking errors in the third frame alone.

The Sooners led 23-19 in the third set, but Kentucky didn't back down. A quick 4-0 run punctuated by a Gaerte kill forced an Oklahoma timeout with the score at 23-23.

Despite Kentucky serving for match point, the Sooners battled back and earned a 27-25 win in the third set to force things to a fourth frame of action.

In the fourth, Kentucky dominated thanks to a rejuvenated offense. Kennedy Washington started things off with back-to-back kills at the beginning of the set, and Thigpen closed the match out with a kill to take the final set 25-16.

The Wildcats now take a three-game win streak to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas. First serve is set for 3 p.m.

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