Smith Center was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They were a single set away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at the hands of the Oakley Plainsmen. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the Plainsmen this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 2-0 back in September.
The defeat didn't mean the game wasn't competitive: Oakley scored at least 16 points in every set. The match finished with set scores of 25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 19-25, 18-16.
Karper Franklin
| 09/09/25 vs Trego | 1 |
| 09/27/25 vs Otis-Bison | 1 |
| 09/02/25 vs Norton | 2 |
| 09/20/25 vs Council Grove | 3 |
| 09/27/25 vs St. John | 3 |
Despite the loss, Smith Center saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Karper Franklin had 21 digs. Those 21 digs set a new season-high mark for Franklin.
Mary Carman was nothing short of spectacular for Oakley: she had 27 digs and two aces. That's the most aces Carman has posted over her last six matchups.
Smith Center's defeat dropped their record down to 15-11. As for Oakley, their win was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 28-0.
The teams didn't have to wait long for a rematch: the Plainsmen beat Smith Center by a score of 2-0 on Saturday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
