SHAWNEE, Okla. -- The Pittsburg State Volleyball team earned its first win of the season with a 3-1 (25-12, 19-25, 25-17, 25-23) victory over Oklahoma Baptist on Friday (September 16) afternoon. 

The Gorillas hit .239 for the match, while holding the Bison to a .140 attack percentage. Pitt State put down 53 kills, nine blocks and 70 digs. 

Maggie Highberger led the Gorillas with 15 kills. Peyton Walker added 10. Walker also added four blocks, one solo and three assisted. Taylor Unke led the Gorillas with five blocks, one solo and four assisted. Cal VanBuskirk and Kylie Farris shared setting duties. VanBuskirk finished the match with 22 assists and Farris, 20. Three players recorded double figure digs, led by Taylor Wright with 14. Ashlen Schwartz added 11 and Lauren Regier, 10. 

Pitt State set the stage for the win with the first set. The team took the lead at 4-3 and never looked back. A Raven Lawlor kill gave the Gorillas their first 10-point lead of the set at 19-9. A Pitt State attack error gave the Lady Bison their last point at 21-12 before the team rattled off the last four points and ended the set on a Walker block. 

The second set was similar, but this time in Oklahoma Baptist's favor. The Bison took a 5-1 lead to start the match and kept the lead throughout to end in a 25-19 loss for Pitt State.

In set three, an 11-11 tie was broken by an Oklahoma Baptist to give Pitt State the lead. Pitt State pulled ahead a bit, but the Bison cut the lead back to one at 15-14. The Gorillas pushed the lead to four with a Taylor Wright kill, 18-14, and forced an Oklahoma Baptist timeout. After a quick OBU score, Pitt State rattled off three more points to go up 21-15. The Bison scored two more points, but Highberger and Walker put down the final two kills to win 25-17 and give the Gorillas a 2-1 advantage in the match. 

The fourth set was a nail biter, although the Gorillas led most of the set. Pitt State led by four late, 19-15, but OBU clawed back to come within one 19-18. The two teams traded points, with the Gorillas being able to hold on to the lead until OBU tied the set at 22-22. A kill by Maggie Highberger and block by Unke and Lauren Dunn pushed the set to match point, 24-22. The Bison scored one more point, but a service error by the Bison ensured the Gorillas would get their first win of the year. 

Pitt State took on Southeastern Oklahoma in the second match of the day and lost 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-15). There were techinal difficulties in the match, so stats were not immediately available.