Volleyball Runs Win Streak To Seven

NORMAN, Okla. Despite turning in the its worst offensive match of the season, the Oklahoma volleyball team was able to stave off upstart Utah Valley State (2-2) in four games to improve its record to 7-0 on the season. After splitting the first two games, OU won in commanding fashion in the final two frames for the 30-20, 26-30, 30-26, 30-17 victory in its second match at the BYU Mizuno Classic in Provo, Utah.

The Sooners are off to the best start in school history and are in the midst of the longest winning streak since 1996, when the squad that was head coached by Miles Pabst won nine straight.

“We are facing the best competition we have seen all season and we are winning,” said Restrepo. “I liked the way we finished the match after Utah Valley evened it up. There is still plenty of work to do and we are going to have to play our best match so far to knock off BYU on their home court.”

Box Score | Season Stats

Junior-transfer Gabriela Tonon was the most consistent performer for the Sooners with 13 kills and a .270 hitting percentage. Leading the team in kills was sophomore Joanna Schmitt, who recorded her second double-double of the season with 15 put-aways and 15 digs.

The bad news for Schmitt was she hit a season-low .042. Her inconsistency on offense didn't help an OU squad, which also hit at a yearly low rate of .188.

Senior Keri Coats and sophomore Rachel Jackson were the only other players (besides Tonon) to top .200 in hitting percentage. Coats recorded nine kills, one error and a .296 hitting percentage. Jackson set three career highs with five kills, an .833 hitting percentage and a team-best 17 digs.

Where the offense left off the defense picked up. OU had a season-high 15 blocks, which led to the team tying an OU rally-scoring record with 30 block assists. Jennifer Adams had 11 of the 30 block assists to break the OU rally-scoring four game record of nine previously held by teammates Laura Tomes and Jennifer Mosso. Coats and Jackson contributed six and five block assists, respectively. OU previously set the mark of 30 block assists against Lipscomb on Sept. 6, 2003.

Away from the net on defense OU tallied 66 digs with senior Stephanie Tengram being the third Sooner to top double-digits with 15 digs.

The undefeated Sooners will complete tourney play against host BYU at 3 p.m today. BYU swept Memphis, who OU beat in four games, last night and stands at 3-1 on the season.

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