Volleyball Continues On Road In Conference Play

Sept. 27, 1999

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma volleyball team (6-6, 1-1 Big 12) continues on the road in Big 12 Conference action at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, against Missouri (5-7, 0-2) at Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo. This will be the second consecutive road conference match for the Sooners and it is the second consecutive home match for the Tigers. This season, Missouri has recorded a 2-2 home record while OU has posted a 1-2 road record. Offensively, the Tigers have registered 676 kills to OU's 587, but the Sooners have recorded a higher hitting percentage, .266 to .184. Defensively, Missouri ranks ahead of OU in digs per game, 15.30 to 11.81.

THE SERIES
Oklahoma has dominated the Tigers in the all-time series, 31-13. The Sooners have won 11 of the last 12 meetings against MU. Missouri's lone victory in those 12 matches was in the last meeting between these two teams. In last year's final regular-season match for the Sooners, the Tigers defeated OU, 3-0, in Columbia, Mo. Oklahoma won the other meeting last year in Norman, 3-2, on Oct. 16.

UP NEXT

The Sooners return home as they battle eighth-ranked Texas on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at the OU Field House in Norman. The Longhorns are currently 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12. They defeated 16th-ranked Texas A&M, 3-1, last Saturday in Austin, Texas.

LOOKING AT THE MATCH UP

Missouri (5-7, 0-2 Big 12): The Tigers are winless in conference play with a 0-2 record. Last week, Missouri lost at No. 16 Texas A&M, 0-3, and Kansas defeated MU, 3-2, at Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo. Missouri has lost five of its last six matches. MU is led offensively by freshman Christi Myers and sophomore Naaron Branson. Myers is ranked first on the team in hitting percentage (.304) and blocks (33), and second in kills (144). Branson ranks first on the squad in kills (145), service aces (15) and digs (118), is tied for second in blocks (19) and third in hitting percentage (.232).

Oklahoma (6-6, 1-1 Big 12): The Sooners are 1-1 in the Big 12 after they defeated Iowa State, 3-0, Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The victory snapped a four-match losing streak for OU. Oklahoma is led by junior Cathy Cook. The middle blocker continues to be an offensive force for the Sooners as she leads the team in total kills (125) and total blocks (34) and ranks second in kills per game (2.98) and hitting percentage (.457). Last week, Cook was ranked fourth in the nation with a .433 hitting percentage. In Oklahoma's two matches last week, she increased her hitting efficiency from .433 to .457. In those two matches, Cook recorded 24 kills and a .583 hitting percentage (24k-3e-36ta). Carolyn Kittell continues to be a leader on the court ranking first for OU in assists with 476, an average of 11.33 per game, which places her seventh in the Big 12. The junior setter also leads the team in digs with 95, an average of 2.26 per game. Melissa Christman ranks among the top five on the team in most of the statistical categories, including first in service aces with 17. Sophomore outside hitter Danielle Bookout continues to battle pulled abdominal muscles, but managed to play in OU's six games last week. The Hereford, Texas product ranks first on the team in kills per game (3.48) and second in kills (108). Sophomore Chantae Weathers, a product from the San Antonio, Texas area has played the outside hitter and middle blocker positions. She ranks third on the team in total blocks (28) and fourth in kills (86).

LAST WEEK ... OU OPENS CONFERENCE PLAY WITH LOSS TO NO. 22 COLORADO AND SWEEP OF IOWA STATE
Oklahoma opened Big 12 Conference action last week with a 1-1 record. In OU's conference home opener Wednesday at the OU Field House in Norman, No. 22 Colorado swept the Sooners, 8-15, 3-15, 9-15. CU was led by outside hitter Sonja Nielsen and setter Kelly Campbell. Nielsen recorded 15 kills and eight digs, while Campbell registered 38 assists and five kills. OU's junior middle blocker Cathy Cook posted eight kills and a .538 hitting percentage (8k-1e-13ta) in the losing effort. Sophomore Chantae Weathers finished with a team-high 10 kills.

The Sooners then traveled Saturday to Ames, Iowa for their first road conference match of the season and defeated Iowa State, 15-3, 15-12, 15-6, at the Hilton Coliseum. Oklahoma was led by Cook. The 6-2 middle blocker recorded match highs with 16 kills and a .609 hitting percentage (16k-2e-23ta). Cook also added a team-high seven digs. Holly McMillan, Danielle Bookout and Melissa Christman each contributed seven kills for the Sooners. McMillan, a junior middle blocker, tied a career high with six block assists. Junior setter Carolyn Kittell dished out 35 assists. The Cyclones struggled offensively in the match, registering a .093 hitting percentage, while OU finished with a .280 clip. Sheila Lopez led Iowa State with 12 kills.

COOK AMONG THE NATION'S BEST ... LEADS BIG 12 CONFERENCE IN HITTING PERCENTAGE
Last week, junior Cathy Cook was ranked fourth in the nation and second in the Big 12 Conference in hitting percentage (.433). But in two matches last week against Colorado and Iowa State, Cook raised her hitting percentage from .433 to .457, which currently ranks first in the Big 12. The 6-2 middle blocker has been a consistent offensive weapon for OU this season. Only once this year has Cook registered a hitting percentage below .250 and she has finished with a hitting percentage above .500 in eight of Oklahoma's 14 matches. Cook, who has played in all 42 games this year, also leads the team in total blocks (34) ranks second in service aces (17) and sixth in digs (42). At Portland University, Cook was named the 1997 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. In her sophomore year in 1998 at Portland, she was an All-West Coast Conference second teamer and ended the season ranked eighth on the Portland single-season list for most kills with 391. She was also invited to tryout for Team USA this past summer.

1999 BIG 12 STANDINGS
(as of Sept. 27, 1999)

School         Overall  Big 12

Kansas State   8-2      2-0   

Texas          8-2      2-0   

Colorado       8-3      2-0

Baylor        13-2      1-1

Texas A&M     10-2      1-1

Kansas        10-3      1-1

Nebraska       9-3      1-1

OKLAHOMA       6-6      1-1

Texas Tech    10-4      0-2

Missouri       5-7      0-2

Iowa State     2-6      0-2

Team Match Highs

Hitting Percentage

.410 (56-13-105) vs. Wichita State (9/11)

Kills

3 gm   48    vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (9/10)

4 gm   75    vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

5 gm   76    vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Attempts

3 gm   115  at Northwestern (9/18)

4 gm   152  vs. LSU (9/18)

5 gm   159  vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Assists

3 gm   46   vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (9/10)

4 gm   72   vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

5 gm   66   vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Digs

3 gm   41   at Northwestern (9/18)

4 gm   62   vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

5 gm   84   vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Individual Highs

Hitting Percentage

.632 (13-1-19)   Cathy Cook vs. Arkansas-LR (9/10)

.615 (19-3-26)   Cathy Cook vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

.609 (16-2-23)   Cathy Cook vs. Iowa State (9/25)

Kills

3 gm   16   Maria Holmgren vs. Wyoming (9/11), 

            Cathy Cook vs. Iowa State (9/25)

4 gm   19   Danielle Bookout vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

5 gm   20   Danielle Bookout vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Total Attempts

3 gm   30   Danielle Bookout vs. Wyoming (9/11),          

            Chantae Weathers vs. #22 Colorado (9/22)

4 gm   47   Danielle Bookout vs.  Cal Poly (9/4)

5 gm   41   Danielle Bookout vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Assists

3 gm   43   Carolyn Kittell vs. Wyoming (9/11)

4 gm   58   Carolyn Kittell vs.  Wichita State (9/4)

5 gm   59   Carolyn Kittell vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Digs

3 gm   10   Maxine Zubiaga vs. Arkansas-LR (9/10)

4 gm   13   Carolyn Kittell at Cal Poly (9/4)

5 gm   17   Carolyn Kittell vs. San Francisco (9/3)

Aces

All   5   Melissa Christman vs. Wichita State (9/4)

All   4   Cathy Cook vs. Wichita State (9/11)

All   3   Melissa Christman vs. Wyoming (9/11),    

All   3   Maxine Zubiaga vs. Iowa State (9/25)

Total Blocks

All   7   Cathy Cook at Cal Poly (9/4)

All   7   Melissa Christman vs. Wichita State (9/4)

All   7   Holly McMillan vs. Iowa State (9/25)

All   6   Chantae Weathers vs. Wichita State (9/11)

#2 MELISSA CHRISTMAN
(6-1, Sr., OH, Kansas City, Mo.)
Has set four personal bests this season ... landed career-highs in assists (5), service aces (5) and block assists (7) against Wichita State (9/4) ... also set a personal-best .667 (11-1-15) hitting percentage against the Shockers (9/11) ... season best include 12 kills against WSU (9/4) and Wyoming (9/11) and 11 digs vs. San Francisco (9/3) ... ranks among the team's top five in eight categories ... ranks fifth in the Big 12 in service aces per game (0.41).

#4 MELISSA STRINGFIELD
(5-11, Sr., OH, Spring, Texas)
Ranks fourth on the team in digs (58) ... has tied her career best in service aces twice with two against Wichita State (9/11) and Wyoming (9/11).

#13 CATHY COOK
(6-2, Jr., MB, Irvine, Calif.)
Was ranked fourth in the nation last week in hitting percentage (.433) ... in two matches last week, she raised it from .433 to .457 ... Currently ranks first in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.457) ... has been named to three all-tournament teams - Cal Poly Classic, Sooner Invitational and Wildcat Classic ... established a career-best hitting percentage of .632 (13k-1e-19ta) against UALR (9/10) ... tied a personal best in aces with four vs. Wichita State (9/11) and block assists with six at Cal Poly (9/4) ... is the team leader in total blocks (34) and block assists (28) ... also ranks second on the team in service aces (13).

#1 MARIA HOLMGREN
(6-1, Jr., OH, Trelleborg, Sweden)
Earned her first all-tournament honor during the Sooner Invitational ... established a personal best in hitting percentage of 1.000 (6k-0e-6ta) against Arkansas-Little Rock (9/10) ... season best includes 16 kills against Wyoming (9/11) and three digs, twice ... registered a personal best four block assists against LSU (9/18).

#23 CAROLYN KITTELL
(5-8, Jr., S, Laguna Beach, Calif.)
Was named to the Cal Poly Classic and Sooner Invitational All-Tournament Teams ... has a team- high 476 assists and 95 digs ... also ranks fifth on the team with 19 total blocks ... has a .468 hitting percentage (26-4-47) ... season highs include 59 assists, 17 digs and four kills ... ranks seventh in the Big 12 in assists per game (11.33).

#15 DANIELLE BOOKOUT
(6-1, So., OH, Hereford, Texas)
Ranks second on the team in kills with 108 and averages 3.48 kills per game ... landed a career high 20 kills in the first match of the season against San Francisco (9/3) and tied a personal best in digs with eight against Wichita State (9/4).

#8 CHANTAE WEATHERS
(6-2, So., MB, San Antonio, Texas)
Has a team-high 11 block solos ... can play outside hitter or middle blocker ... ranks fourth on the team in kills (86) and third in total blocks (28) ... season best includes 13 kills against LSU (9/18), five block solos against West Virginia (9/17), five digs vs. Cal Poly (9/4) and five block assists against Wichita State (9/11).

#9 HOLLY McMILLAN
(6-2, Jr., MB, Altaville, Calif.)
Has 58 kills ... established career highs of 12 digs and three assists against Wichita State (9/4) ... also has a season high of 11 kills vs. Wichita State (9/4) and two service aces vs. Northwestern (9/18) ... tied a career-high with six block assists vs. Iowa State (9/25).

#3 ALLISON SILVEIRA
(5-8, Jr., DS, Elgin, Ill.)
A walk-on who has tied two career bests with one kill vs. Cal Poly (9/4) and two aces (twice).

#24 MAXINE ZUBIAGA
(5-9, Jr., DS, Carrollton, Texas)
Her 78 digs ranks second on the team ... served OU's first 12 points against Wichita State (9/10) in the Sooner Invitational ... set personal bests with four assists vs. Wichita State (9/11) and 13 digs against San Francisco (9/3) ... set a career high with three service aces vs. Iowa State (9/25).

#11 RAVENE BROOKS
(5-7, So., DS, Fort Worth, Texas)
Has played in 11 games and has four digs.

#10 LAKEISHA BROOM
(6-0, Fr., MB, Birmingham, Ala.)
Has played in five games, earning three kills and a dig ... is out with a back injury.

#6 LIZ NEWMAN
(5-8, Fr., S, Tulsa, Okla.)
Has played in 28 games and recorded one kill and one assist ... set a personal best of four digs vs. LSU (9/18).

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