Sooner Spikers Finish Season At Baylor :: Sooner face Bears Saturday at 7 p.m.

	">Printer-Friendly Format ">E-mail this article Senior Megan O'Connell averaged 4.83 kills per game and hit .377 last week.

Sooner Spikers Finish Season At Baylor

Sooner face Bears Saturday at 7 p.m.

Nov. 26, 2002

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Sooners Finish Season At Baylor

The Oklahoma volleyball team finishes the 2002 season with a trip to Baylor Sat. Nov. 30. With a victory the Sooners can accomplish something they haven't done since 1997; sweep the regular season series against Baylor. Oklahoma is in ninth place in the Big 12 with a 3-16 record, while Baylor is in 10th.

"Baylor is our last match of the season and I feel like we have trained well going into the match," said Mahi. "While the win/loss column hasn't shown improvement in the last few games, our play has improved. If we continue to play and practice like we have lately, we can beat Baylor on their court."

In the first meeting of the season, OU defeated Baylor in four games 35-33, 30-24, 27-30, 31-29. Four Sooners collected double-digit kills, led by Megan O'Connell with 18. Sophomore Candice Woods and junior Christina Barlow registered 17 and 15 kills apiece. Senior setter Jessica Barney assisted on a career-high 54 assists in the match.

Despite losing both of their Big 12 matches last week, OU played well and statistically had two of their best matches of the season. OU collected 55 digs, the second highest total for a three game match against Kansas State on Nov. 20. OU dug 60 balls, a new season-high for a three game match against Colorado on Senior Day, . The Sooners also had 49 kills and 132 total attacks, both were also season-highs.

Despite their efficient play lately OU has lost five consecutive matches. Baylor is also struggling, having lost six straight and 12 of their last 13 matches.

Baylor was picked seventh in the preseason Big 12 poll and outside hitter Stevie Nicolas was selected to the Big 12 first team. Nicolas, who was first team All-Big 12 in 2001, suffered a season ending knee injury on Sept. 18. Baylor was 6-5 coming into Sept. 28 contest with OU, since then the Bears have gone 3-15.

The Baylor match will be the final time Barney, O'Connell, Denise Griffen and Lindsay Hoyt compete in the crimson and creme.

Oklahoma Notes

- OU will look to make it two straight victories against Baylor on Nov. 30

- In the last meeting between OU and Baylor, the Sooner won in four games 35-33, 30-24, 27-30, 31-29.

- The seniors account for 34 percent of OU's kills, 92 percent of the assists, 55 percent of the digs and 55 percent of the blocks.

- If OU defeats Baylor, it will be the first time since 1978 that the Sooners have won the regu- lar season finale.

- With the recent signing of prepsters Anna Monsen, Laura Tomes and Joanna Schmitt, the Sooners have signed three blue-chippers to fill the five open spots for next season.

- OU's rotation next year could look something like this-
Starters- OH- Christina Barlow, Sheena Werling and Candice Woods.
MB- Jennifer Mosso and Laura Tomes
LB- Tara Birkinbine
S- Leanne Chen
In the regular rotation- Jennifer Adams, Yvette Villanueva, Anna Monsen and Joanna Schmitt.

Notes

Jennifer Adams - Hasn't played recently due to thumb injury.

Christina Barlow - Contributed nine kills and 11 digs in two games against Colorado.

Jessica Barney - Team leading six double-doubles this season.

Tara Birkinbine - Set team season-high with 20 digs against Colorado.

Leanne Chen - Once Barney is gone, Chen will battle incoming freshman Anna Monsen for the setting duties.

Denise Griffin - Leads squad in digs per game with 2.78.

Lindsay Hoyt - Serving specialist has missed only one match this season.

Emily Kincaid - Out indefinitely with knee injury.

Megan O'Connell - Last week O'Connell averaged 4.83 kills per game and hit .377 (29-6-62).

Jennifer Mosso - Leads Sooners with 0.88 blocks per game.

Yvette Villanueva - Set career high with 17 digs against Iowa State.

Sheena Werling - Recorded six kills and two block assists against Colorado.

Candice Woods - Averaged 9.55 kills over the last nine matches.

A Closer Look At The Baylor Bears

HEAD COACH BRIAN HOSFELD-

Baylor is in its seventh season under the direction of head coach Brian Hosfeld. During his tenure, the Bears have compiled a 117-108 (.520) overall record and a 51-86 (.374) mark in the rugged Big 12 Conference. Hosfeld is credited with putting Baylor volleyball on the map. After losing seasons in 14 of 18 years prior to Hosfeld's arrival, Baylor has finished above .500 in four of the last six seasons. Baylor has made two NCAA Tournament appearances in that time, advancing to the second round before losing to eventual national champion Penn State in 1999. Owner of the highest winning percentage of the program's seven head coaches, Hosfeld has amassed the most wins, both overall and in conference play, of any coach in school history.

SCHWARTZ CONTINUES TO CLIMB KILLS LIST-
Junior OH/MB Tisha Schwartz enters Saturday's match against Nebraska in ninth place all-time at Baylor with 450 on the season. She is 17 kills shy of eighth place, held by Heather Williams (467, 1992). Even if the Bears play only three games in each of their final three matches, Schwartz is on pace to finish the season with 492 kills. That would seventh in school history. Reaching 500 kills is not out of the question, and that is a feat only three Bears have ever accomplished. Stevie Nicholas has done it twice (2000, 2001), Polk did it three times (1997, 1998, 1999) and Kia Young did it once (1999).

The End Of The Road

Four Sooners will dress in their crimson and cream jerseys for the final time this Saturday, Nov. 30. While none of the four started their collegiate career's in Norman they all claim to be Sooner bred.

Head Coach Kalani Mahi and staff will have the toughest time replacing setter and co-captain Jessica Barney. Barney played in every game last year and has missed just two matches this season. The quarterback of the OU squad has continually improved under Mahi's supervision. This season she has increased her assists per game from 9.30 in 2001 to 9.78.

Leaving with Barney is fellow co-captain Lindsay Hoyt. Hoyt was a staple of the Oklahoma lineup last season, when she played primarily as an outside hitter. This year the Grapevine, Texas native has taken on a new role. Hoyt transitioned to the role of serving and defensive specialist with hardly a bump in the road. Hoyt is still one of the most consistent attackers on the squad and has been called upon for a starting spot several times this year.

Megan O'Connell transferred into the OU volleyball program literally hours before the start of fall workouts. O'Connell adjusted quickly, claiming a starting spot as a left side attacker and becoming the main catalyst in the Sooner offensive attack. O'Connell leads the team in kills per game with 3.03 and hitting percentage at .233 (261K-91E-730TA). She began her career at Illinois State with the Mahi's and ended her career as a team leader on the OU squad.

Denise Griffin transferred in from the JUCO volleyball hot-bed of Utah and proved to be one of the Sooners most versatile players in her two years. Griffin, a outside hitter at Eastern Utah, began her career in Norman at the same position, averaging 1.94 kills per game last season. She also averaged 2.24 digs per game, which led to her fill-in role at libero this season. Griffin stepped in for freshman Tara Birkinbine and was consistent at libero. She still leads OU in digs per game at 2.78 despite the fact that she moved back to right side hitter seven matches ago.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooner Spikers Finish Season At Baylor :: Sooner face Bears Saturday at 7 p.m.

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