Oklahoma Christian Moves Closer to LSC Volleyball Tournament Spot

Oklahoma Christian sits one win away from the LSC tournament

The Oklahoma Christian Eagles are on the verge of postseason play after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Eastern New Mexico on Friday night. According to a report from oceagles.com, the Eagles secured the win at the Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena in Portales, N.M., with set scores of 25-22, 25-17, 20-25, and 25-22. This result moves the team to 16-12 overall and 9-7 in Lone Star Conference (LSC) play, leaving them tied with Western New Mexico for eighth place as the regular season reaches its final day.

The stakes for Saturday’s matchup are high. The Eagles can clinch a spot in the LSC Volleyball Championship tournament—which is scheduled to run from Nov. 11–14—under two specific conditions: they either defeat No. 19 West Texas A&M or Western New Mexico loses to St. Edward’s. Because the top nine teams in the conference standings qualify for the tournament, the margin for error has effectively vanished for the three teams currently fighting for the final two available slots: Oklahoma Christian, Western New Mexico, and West Texas A&M.

If the Eagles fail to win and Western New Mexico manages a victory, the tiebreaker will fall to West Texas A&M, as they would hold the head-to-head advantage in a three-way tie at 9-8.

Individual performances drive the Eagles’ momentum

The victory in Portales was defined by high-level statistical production from the OC roster, particularly in the middle and back rows. Chloe Jones anchored the effort with a double-double, recording 15 kills and 16 digs, alongside two service aces. Jenna McClure also provided a significant contribution, matching Jones with a double-double of 13 kills and 15 digs.

Oklahoma Christian Moves Closer to LSC Volleyball Tournament Spot

The efficiency of the offense was bolstered by several key contributors:

Leah Duncan: Recorded 10 kills while hitting .471 and adding three block assists.
Kenzy McArtor: Contributed 10 kills and four block assists.
Summer Van Meerveld: Managed the offense with 28 assists.
Payton Cash: Added 18 assists and closed the match with a decisive ace in the fourth set.
Macey Nehring: Led the back row with 18 digs and two service aces.

The match began with a tightly contested first set. Eastern New Mexico managed to tie the score at 21, but the Eagles responded with a 4-1 run. A kill by McArtor, two points following McClure’s serve, and a final kill from Jones allowed OC to take the set 25-22.

The momentum shifted heavily in the second set. After the Eagles established a 15-12 lead, Jones took control of the service line, delivering six consecutive points, including an ace, to push the lead to 21-12. OC finished the set with a .342 hitting percentage, winning 25-17.

The road through Canyon

After Eastern New Mexico split the match by taking the third set 25-20, the fourth set became a battle of nerves. With the score tied at 22, the Eagles closed out the match with three straight points: a kill by McArtor, an attack error by ENMU following a Cash serve, and a final ace by Cash to seal the 25-22 win.

For the Greyhounds, Aaliyah Butler led the way with 15 kills, while Natalie Ceniceros hit .462 with five block assists and Jordan Garcia tallied 24 digs.

The Eagles’ season concludes this Saturday at 2 p.m. CT in Canyon, Texas, where they face No. 19 West Texas A&M. The outcome of this game will determine whether Oklahoma Christian’s postseason aspirations continue into the LSC tournament hosted by the No. 1 seed.