The Basics
Game 1: Evangel 3, LSU-Shreveport 1 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 0, Oklahoma City 3 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (1-1), LSU-Shreveport (1-1), Oklahoma City (2-0)
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla. (Abe Lemons Arena)
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Evangel Volleyball hit the road on Friday to open their 2026 campaign, taking on LSU-Shreveport and Oklahoma City at the OKC Stars Invite, aiming to earn their first wins of the season against a first year opponent and the tournament host.
The Pilots of LSU-Shreveport earned their first win in program history prior to taking on Evangel, earning a sweep in their win. The Valor handed LSUS their first set loss of the year in set one, as both teams battled early. EU fell behind 9-4 early, rallying back by taking advantage of several Pilot attacking errors. LSUS righted the ship, taking a 21-16 lead, but the Valor ended the set on a 10-3 run, aided by kills from five different EU athletes, earning a 26-24 win in set one.
Both teams would stay close with one another on the scoreboard in set two, but the Pilots were able to close the set on a 4-0 run after leading 21-20, forcing the Valor to fall 25-20.
Evangel dominated set three after a slow start. Trailing 8-5, Evangel would go on a 20-4 run to close out the set, behind a blazing ,421 attacking percentage, using 10 kills and just two attacking errors in the set to take a 25-12 win.
EU took care of business in the fourth and final set, grabbing an early lead they would hold to the end, with 14 kills setting the pace in a 25-19 win in the final set of play.
In Evangel's second game of the evening, the Valor would take on host school, Oklahoma City, looking to compete against a tough opponent who had defeated #12 Oklahoma Wesleyan the previous day.
The Valor struggled offensively against the Stars and fell behind early in set one. Charlotte Hawkins, Simone Johnson, and Ashya Thompson all recorded a pair of kills in the set, but EU would fall, 25-15, as OKC's attacks constantly found open space.
In set two, OKC used a .414 attacking percentage (14 kills, 2 errors) to take a 20-7 lead over the Valor. The Valor would add four points before OKC scored 25, as EU fell 25-11 in set two.
In the third and final set of play on Friday night, the Valor offense could not get clicking, hitting negative in the set (8 kills, 9 errors), as EU fell 25-18 in the final set of play.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
Evangel Volleyball takes on the Wayland Baptist Pioneers on Saturday (Aug. 22) afternoon at 2:00 p.m., in Oklahoma City.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play. Â
—#OneValor—
