Eagles Fall to Ozarks in Five-Set Thriller

CLARKSVILLE, Ark.  (9/2/25) – The Williams Baptist University volleyball team fell in five sets against University of the Ozarks by the final score of 3-2 (19-25, 12-25, 25-23, 30-28, 12-15) in Mabee Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

Tinleigh Ruhman led WBU with eight kills on the night with a .154 hit percentage. Desirae Walker led the team with 16 assists, and Hope Raymond controlled 17 digs in the contest.

WBU posted a hitting percentage of .077 as a squad, while Ozarks put up a .125.  

The first set featured little separation until Ozarks went on a 5-0 run to take a 21-16 lead and force a WBU timeout.  An ace from Ruhman got the Eagles back within two, but UofO finished the set on a four point run to take the opening frame.

Ozarks went on a 10-2 run early in the second set to take the frame by the score of 25-12.

WBU responded by taking close wins in sets three and four.  In set three, WBU was able to snag the set win 25-23 after a late attack error from Ozarks.  

In the fourth set, Williams and UofO traded the lead until WBU grabbed the final three points in a row on kills from Alyssa Russell, Desirae Walker, and Tinleigh Ruhman to take the set 30-28 in extra points.

Despite the effort, WBU fell just short of the reverse sweep, dropping the final set 15-12.  WBU took two in a row after an error and an ace, but were unable to keep Ozarks off the board as UofO took the final point and the match.

Williams drops to 0-6 on the season with the loss.  WBU will return home on Thursday to face Philander Smith.  First serve against the Panthers is set for 6 p.m. from inside the Southerland-Mabee Center on the campus of Williams Baptist University.