Volleyball Off To Record Start

NORMAN, Okla. Charged by a blazing offensive performance the Oklahoma volleyball team swept Oral Roberts (30-22, 30-24, 30-25) on Tuesday evening at the Howard McCasland Field House and in the process tied the school record for consecutive wins to start a season. The wins record wasn't the only to fall as three team rally-scoring records fell along with two individual marks. The Sooners improved to 5-0 in front of a raucous crowd of 301, while Oral Roberts dropped to 2-3.

OU head coach Santiago Restrepo became the first coach in OU history to win his home opener. Afterward he commented “Its always nice to win, regardless if you are away or at home. I am hoping we can get more people interested and fill the stands by continuing to play well. I want the community to see how hard this team has worked to become successful.”

Sophomore Joanna Schmitt led the offensive onslaught with the best outing of her young career. Schmitt set an OU rally-scoring record with 19 kills while setting personal bests with just one error and a .486 hitting percentage. Schmitt's previous best in hitting percentage was .354 and she had never survived a match with less than five attack errors.

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Restrepo noticed a smarter Schmitt, “She's being more disciplined in the selection of her hits, knowing when to attack with a maximum swing and knowing when to place the ball. Now she recognizes that we play such a good defensive game and she knows their is no need to take chances.”

The sophomore outside hitter led a Sooner squad that obliterated the previous best in hitting percentage for a three set match since 2001 (start of rally scoring system). The Sooners hit .402 as a team with five players hitting above .304. The previous high was .364 against Elon in 2003.

The Sooners fell behind early in every set but used significant rallies to dominate after taking the lead in each stanza. In the first game an eight-point rally put OU ahead for good at 10-8. In the second game a six-point rally put the match out of reach at 12-7, while in the third session a nine-point rally put the Sooners ahead and the match away at 17-11.

Junior Gabriela Tonon collected the first double-double of her career with 10 kills and 11 digs. Senior Keri Coats and junior Jennifer Adams took second best honors in kills with 11 each. Coats, who came into the match third in Big 12 in hitting percentage, is hitting .435 through five matches. Four Sooners reached double-digits in kills and helped OU to another record with 60 team kills.

Sophomore Laura Tomes wasn't to shabby on offense either. Tomes hit. 583 with seven kills and no errors on 12 swings.

Sophomore setter Rachel Jackson set an individual three game rally-scoring record with 46 assists, which led to a team record of 53 helpers.

OU tied the 2000 squad for consecutive wins to start a season with five straight. This weekend the Sooners can top that mark witha win in their opener of the BYU Mizuno Classic against Memphis. OU and the Tigers meet Friday at 1 p.m. The Sooners return home for their Big 12 opener against Iowa State Sept. 17.

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