TULSA, Okla. – The Wichita State University volleyball team dropped its American Athletic Conference opener at Tulsa Friday, Sept. 27, falling to the Golden Hurricane, 3-2, at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. The set scores were 21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-17 and 10-15.
 
Wichita State (3-10, 0-1 American) is scheduled to return home to Charles Koch Arena to host the Cincinnati Bearcats (9-4, 1-0 American) for Shocker Family Day Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1 p.m.
 
The five-set thriller marked the third straight match the Shockers and Golden Hurricane (8-6, 1-0 American) have gone the distance, as both matches in 2018 went five.
 
Sophomore Megan Taflinger compiled a team-high 17 kills, while senior Damadj Johnson tied her career-high with 10 blocks (two block solos, eight block assists), and fellow senior Kara Bown posted a career-best 25 digs, leading Wichita State.
 
Junior McKayla Wuensch added a double-double with a team-high 28 assists and 13 digs, and tallied a pair of service aces, while fellow junior Emma Wright had nine kills on 17 attempts with two errors for a team-high .412 attack percentage.
 
The Shockers outhit the Golden Hurricane in the match, .186 to .135, and compiled an 11-8 edge in team blocks, but had 58 kills compared to 59 for Tulsa. WSU also committed 10 service errors, while Tulsa only had six service miscues.
 
Dilara Gedikoglu tallied a match-high 18 kills, and Taylor Horsfall led all players with 38 digs, pacing the Golden Hurricane.