FORT WORTH, Texas — The fifth-seeded Oklahoma Panhandle State volleyball team (16-15) fell in straight sets, 14-25, 19-25, 14-25, Friday evening to No. 1 seed Nelson (24-9), capping the Aggies' first ever appearance in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinals.
 
Playing at the host site of the 2025 SAC Volleyball Championships on the campus of Texas Wesleyan University, OPSU saw its best season since 2022 end against perennial SAC contender Nelson.
 
Though the Aggies came out with high energy and battled throughout the afternoon, the Lions proved to be the better team and left Panhandle State scrambling defensively too often to overcome.
 
Starting the day strong, OPSU and Nelson were tied 5-5 in the first set before the SAC's top seed roared to a 1-0 advantage in the match.
 
The Aggies got behind quickly in set number two but hung around until the end of the frame, thanks in large part to the contributions of Skyla Stark with her four kills and a block during the game.
 
The third set was all Nelson early until a bevy of OPSU kills kept the fifth seed afloat, but it was too little, too late.
 
Elena Kagiali grabbed a share of the match high with 11 kills, followed by Taylore Alsaid with eight kills. Stark was efficient on her attacks with a team-best .353 hitting percentage for seven kills.
 
Stark and Alsaid recorded a pair of block assists apiece. Ava Newby and Kaylen Lewis also notched a block at the net. Behind them, Winiffer Rodriguez dug out a match-best 16 attacks, with Mia Sanchez and Alsaid both collecting 10 digs.
 
Sanchez finished with a double-double, piling up a match-high 23 assists that moved her career tally over 1,900. Emma Coburn closed with two service aces, the most of any player on the court.
 
What's up next: OPSU figures to graduate most of its rotation players as it will look for younger players to fill the void left behind. The 2025 season brought much to build on for head coach Ilani Dalton and the program, however, with the bar being raised following a seven-win year-over-year improvement and the team reaching new postseason heights.