Just like every coin has two sides, the world of sports is all about those highs and lows—victories and defeats. While some teams have been stacking up wins, like the Nebraska Huskers riding high with their 19th straight victory, others are battling through tough times. Take Texas Volleyball, for example. Only a few days ago, they faced a nail-biting five-set loss to Missouri.

And just as they were gearing up for redemption, Sunday saw them stumble again in another five-set showdown against their rivals, Oklahoma. Despite holding a 2-1 lead, Texas ultimately fell in a hard-fought 25-21, 25-27, 17-25, 25-19, 15-9 matchup, and this marked their third consecutive loss—all in five sets—which dropped the No. 9 Longhorns down to third place in the SEC.

On November 3, Texas Volleyball took to X to reveal the results, simply captioning it “final. #HookEm.” The Longhorns, battling through a rocky stretch in conference play, fell 3-2 to Oklahoma in a gripping five-set Red River clash on Sunday afternoon. After enduring two tough home losses in one weekend, the Horns are now gearing up for a road stretch, hoping to halt the skid.

The Sooners managed to keep Texas to a hitting percentage of just .187, overshadowed by Oklahoma’s impressive .293. The ball clearly found itself on the Longhorns’ side more often than they’d like, as the team struggled to keep up offensively. The Horns posted 54 kills on 155 attempts, while Oklahoma racked up 66 kills from 150 attacks, showcasing the offensive edge that clinched them the win.

On the defensive end, the Longhorns managed to post just 47 digs and 10 blocks while facing Oklahoma’s relentless offense. But when it came to serving, Texas found a glimmer of strength—outshining Oklahoma with nine aces and making two fewer serving errors than their rivals. A silver lining in an otherwise tough showdown, Texas’s serving game proved to be their strongest front in this intense Red River clash.

The weekend’s matchups mirrored Texas volleyball’s recent struggles, echoing Friday’s clash with Missouri. Texas began each game with a promising start in the first set, only to falter and fall behind in the fifth. Against Oklahoma, the sets went down in a nail-biting showdown: 25-21, 25-27, 19-25, 25-17, and 15-9—an unexpected battle that saw the unranked Sooners take the win. This marked Texas’s second conference loss at Gregory Gym over the weekend and their third straight setback in the conference.

Currently standing at 7-3 in conference play, the Longhorns risk slipping from their No. 9 ranking, likely facing a drop that could knock them out of the Top 10 altogether. After their recent loss to Texas A&M, the Longhorns had a nine-day break to recuperate and reset, but with yet another defeat, fans’ patience is running thin, and the frustration is starting to show.

Volleyheads show frustration!

One fan was clearly feeling the heat, commenting, “Damn, we lost again… W-F is going on?” Their frustration? Totally understandable! This isn’t the first time Texas Volleyball has fallen short—the team has been stuck in a rough losing streak. The defending champs have dragged their last three home matches into five sets, battling Texas A&M, Missouri, and most recently, Oklahoma, only to fall short each time. Once ranked No. 1 at the season’s start, the Longhorns have slipped to No. 9 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. So, yeah, the frustration among fans is absolutely justified as they watch their team fight to reclaim its former glory.

Another fan jumped in, venting, “I swear if they are still in the top 10😒 Madi not being in all 6 rotations will continue to be their downfall. She’s obviously their best player and they aren’t even using it to their advantage” And honestly, they may have a point! While Texas Volleyball still holds the No. 9 spot, outside hitter Madisen Skinner continues to dominate with over 20 points in each recent defeat. But her absence in key rotations has been noticeable. Together, Skinner and opposite hitter Reagan Rutherford racked up 38 points—more than the rest of the team combined, which tallied 37. No wonder fans are frustrated seeing Madi sidelined when she could be making game-changing plays!

As head coach Jerritt Elliott opted to keep Madisen Skinner on the sidelines, fans didn’t hold back, questioning his game plan. One frustrated fan voiced their thoughts, “JE won’t make changes to Ayden, Emma, or Jenna, so this is how our season will go.” Although Elliott went with freshman Ayden Ames in the middle blocker position, who contributed six kills and six blocks, it seems his lineup choices didn’t sit well with fans. The crowd wasn’t thrilled about the team’s setup, with many feeling that his selections might just be steering the season on a bumpy road.

Texas Volleyball’s current streak has fans looking back through history—and not fondly. The last time the Longhorns dropped three in a row at home dates all the way back to 1994, with losses to Houston, Notre Dame, and Duke. The last three-game skid overall? That was in 2011, falling twice to Minnesota and once to Florida. With history repeating itself, one fan summed up the frustration, commenting,