ABILENE, Texas – Missouri State opened its 2025 volleyball season Friday with a pair of 3-1 losses to Oklahoma and Abilene Christian at the Wildcat Invitational inside Moody Coliseum.
 
All seven MSU freshmen saw action on the day, and the Bears were competitive in all eight sets on the day with plenty of bright spots.
 
The Bears finish play in Abilene at 1 p.m. Saturday against Incarnate Word (0-1).
 
Oklahoma def. Missouri State, 3-1 (25-27, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18)
MoState took the opening set from an Oklahoma squad that is receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 Poll, but the Sooners rallied to claim the next three for the win.
 
The opening period was tied 13 times with eight lead changes. Lexi Weinberg had kills for an 18-18 tie and 21-19 lead, and OU rallied to pull even at 23 before earning set point at 25-24. Freshman Chloe Judd had a kill between two Sooner errors for MSU's 3-0 closing run.
 
The second set was equally close until OU pulled away with a late 6-0 run, and the Sooners led wire-to-wire in the third, leading by as much as 18-10 before a 5-0 MSU run with a pair of Riley Ourth aces gave the Bears a chance late.
 
In the fourth, the Bears got as close as 13-12 after OU grabbed an early 12-7 advantage but could not get over the hump.
 
Rilynn Finley led MSU with nine kills, Aniya Joseph had nine digs and Hannah Gardner finished with 13 assists. The Sooners led in all team statistical categories and served aggressively with 10 aces and 20 errors.
 
Abilene Christian def. Missouri State, 3-1 (25-15, 26-28, 25-19, 25-22)
Missouri State's freshman class combined for 24 kills and five aces in the nightcap at Abilene Christian.
 
ACU used a pair of 6-0 runs to take the opening set, and the second was tied 18 times with nine lead changes before the Bears emerged victorious after overcoming three set points. Five different Bears tallied at least three kills as the team hit .342 in the period.
 
The Wildcats used an 11-1 run to lead 15-4 in the third and MoState stormed back, getting as close as 20-17 after freshman Peyton McKee had three kills in a 7-0 run, but the Bears could not pull even.
 
The fourth set mimicked the third with the home team getting a big run before holding off an MSU charge. ACU led 16-8 after a 7-0 run and the Bears got as close as 22-21 but once again were unable to break through.
 
McKee led MoState with nine kills and classmate Jenna Walters had seven, while Gardner served four aces and had 17 assists.
 
ACU led 58-44 in kills, .266-.162 in hitting percentage, 9-8 n aces, 59-51 in digs and 12-10 in blocks.