OU Hosts Baylor and No. 13 Kansas State

Oct. 18, 1999

The Oklahoma volleyball team (6-12, 1-7 Big 12) will have two home matches this weekend at the OU Field House in Norman. OU's first match will be Friday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. against Baylor (16-5, 4-4). The second match will be Saturday at 3 p.m. versus No. 13 Kansas State (14-2, 8-0). This match was originally scheduled at 7 p.m., but due to the OU-Texas A&M football game being changed from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., the volleyball match time was changed to 3 p.m. The Sooners, who are on a six-match losing streak, are ranked fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.244). OU has been swept in its last four matches and has not won a game since its 3-1 loss to Kansas on Oct. 6. Baylor comes into the match ranked first in the Big 12 Conference in digs per game (18.57) and fourth in hitting percentage (.248). The Bears started the season 13-1, but have lost four of their last seven matches. However, BU did upset No. 14 Texas A&M in Waco, 3-2. In its last match Saturday, Baylor lost 3-0 to No. 12 Nebraska in Waco. Kansas State has been the big surprise in the conference this season. The Wildcats, who are currently on a nine-match winning streak, have knocked off the top teams in the Big 12 and in the nation. On the road, KSU has upset nationally-ranked Nebraska (3-2), Texas (3-1), Colorado (3-1) and Texas A&M (3-1).

THE SERIES

Baylor- The Sooners own a 15-5 edge over the Bears in the all-time series. In the last three years, OU has won five of the six matches with the lone Baylor win (3-0) coming last season in Waco, Texas. The Bears won the first two meetings of the series, which began in 1976.

Kansas State- The Sooners have dominated the Wildcats in the all-time series, 40-9-1. But Kansas State has split the last six meetings with OU, including a 3-0 victory last season in Manhattan, Kan. The lone tie was recorded in the first year of the series (1975).

LOOKING AT THE MATCHUPS

Baylor (16-5, 4-4 Big 12): The Bears are led offensively by three players who have posted more than 225 kills each this season: Kia Young (304), Elisha Polk (292) and Sunny Nicholas (227). Young, a senior outside hitter, also leads the team in kills per game (4.22), while Nicholas, a sophomore middle blocker, ranks first on the team and third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (371). Polk, a senior outside hitter, also leads the team in digs (295) and digs per game (4.10), which ranks first in the conference.

Kansas State (14-2, 8-0 Big 12): The Wildcats have been one of the best offensive teams in the Big 12 this season. They are led by Dawn Cady and Liz Wegner. Cady, a senior outside hitter, leads the conference in kills per game (5.56) and ranks second in digs per game (4.10). Wegner, a sophomore outside hitter, ranks second in the Big 12 in kills per game (5.31). Also, sophomore setter Disney Bronnenberg leads the conference in assists per game (14.44). Junior Kelle Branting ranks fourth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.367).

Oklahoma (6-12, 1-7 Big 12): Oklahoma has been struggling offensively lately. In its last two matches, OU has recorded .143 and -.093 hitting percentages, respectively, to drop its hitting efficiency from .273 to .243. Leading the Sooners is junior middle blocker Cathy Cook, who ranked third in the nation last week in hitting percentage (.438). Her hitting efficiency dropped to .404 after OU's two matches last week, however, that hitting clip is still high enough to rank her first in the Big 12 in overall matches and third in conference matches only.

UP NEXT

The Sooners will complete their four-match homestand against Iowa State (2-13) on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in the OU Field House in Norman. The Cyclones, who Oklahoma defeated 3-0 on Sept. 25 in Ames, Iowa, are currently in last place in the Big 12 Conference with a 0-8 record. After the Cyclone match, OU will hit the road and travel to Boulder, Colo., to battle No. 21 Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 30, the same day the Sooner football team plays the Buffaloes in Boulder at 1:30 p.m. mountain time.

LAST WEEK ... OU EXTENDS LOSING STEAK TO SIX

OU went 0-2 last week and extended its losing streak to six. Last Saturday, the Sooners suffered a 3-0 loss to Texas Tech at the OU Field House in Norman. Oklahoma could not muster any type of offense or defense in the entire match, as it recorded a -.093 hitting percentage, registered 12 service reception errors and nine service errors. The Sooners posted negative hitting percentages in game one (-.158) and game two (-.286). Also, OU did not register a block in the match. The Red Raiders, who recorded a .375 hitting clip, were led by senior Lori Garber. The middle blocker finished with match highs in kills (9), hitting percentage (.692) and service aces (4). Last Wednesday, Oklahoma lost on the road, 3-0, to No. 12 Nebraska. The Huskers posted a .400 hitting percentage compared to OU's .143. Leading the Huskers offensive assault was junior outside hitter Nancy Meendering. The 1998 All-American recorded a match-high 15 kills with a .480 hitting clip. Freshman Greichaly Cepero added nine kills and a career-best .615 hitting percentage. The Sooners were led by Cathy Cook. The junior middle blocker recorded eight kills and a .500 hitting efficiency. Junior setter Carolyn Kittell added a match-high 33 assists and a team-high six digs.

KITTELL MOVING UP THE CHARTS

With 1,806 career assists, junior setter Carolyn Kittell now ranks fourth among the school's all-time best. The Laguna Beach, Calif. product posted 1,106 assists last year and has totaled 700 assists this season. She leads the team in digs (133) and digs per game (2.08).

LOSING STREAK NUMBERS

OU's current six-match losing streak is tied for the fourth longest losing skid in school history. The most losses in a row the Sooners have recorded were 11 back in 1974, the program's first year of existence. Oklahoma lost nine straight in 1981. Four different years, 1978, 1980, 1981 and 1996, the Sooners dropped seven matches in a row. OU also lost six straight in 1991.

1999 BIG 12 STANDINGS (as of Oct. 17, 1999)

School	Overall	Big 12
Kansas State	14-2	8-0
Texas	13-3	7-1
Nebraska	14-4	6-2
Texas A&M	14-4	5-3
Colorado	11-6	5-3
Baylor	16-5	4-4
Kansas	13-6	4-4
Texas Tech	13-8	2-6
Missouri	8-11	2-6
OKLAHOMA	6-12	1-7
Iowa State	2-13	0-8

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Hosts Baylor and No. 13 Kansas State

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