TULSA, Okla.— The McNeese volleyball team dropped their first match 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) to former Southland Conference member Oral Roberts at the Tulsa Golden Hurricane Classic earlier this morning. McNeese will face Tulsa at 7 p.m. tonight.
 
The Cowgirls struggled on offense and behind the service line where they entered the weekend leadig the nation in service aces.  McNeese ended the match with a .148 hitting percent after committing 24 hitting errors and 11 serving errors. 
 
Senior Rachel Cagnina led the Cowgirls with 12 kills and sophomore Chrysta Stuart pitched in with 10 kills.  Junior libero Kimberlyn Patterson picked up 14 digs and setter Kelly Graham dished out 29 assists.
 
In the opening set, ORU held a 22-16 lead but the Cowgirls outscored the Eagles 6-2 to cut the lead to 24-22.  A kill by ORU's Laura Milos would give ORU the first set.
 
The second set was just as close as the first but McNeese couldn't grab the lead after several ties throughout the set.  The Cowgirls got as close as two points (22-20) late in the set before ORU would take the second set 25-21.
 
McNeese trailed early in the third set but fought back to tie it at eight all on an ORU error.  A kill by Cagnina gave McNeese a 10-9 lead and its first lead of the set.  Two kills by Graham and a service ace by Patterson extended the Cowgirl lead to 12-9.  McNeese held the lead until ORU took a 20-19 lead on a kill by Milos.  ORU went on to outscore McNeese 5-3 to take the third set and the overall match.