Top-25 Showdown Set for Wednesday

NORMAN, Okla. - Off to its best start in the history of the 32-year program, the No. 23 Oklahoma volleyball team will put its seven-match winning streak to the test this Wednesday in a top-25 showdown at the Field House. The Sooners will host the No. 12 Missouri Tigers at 7 p.m. in a battle for second place in the Big 12 standings.

TICKETS
Tickets still remain for the match against No. 12 Missouri. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children. All OU students are admitted free with an OU ID.

LIVE STATS
Live stats of the entire match will be available on SoonerSports.com. Additionally, O-Zone viewers will have the opportunity to view the match live as it will also be broadcast on OU's web site.

Live Stats | Live O-Zone

THE MATCH UP
Wednesday night's winner of the top-25 battle will own an advantage at the top of the Big 12 standings. Currently, the Sooners sit in second place with an 8-1 record while the Tigers own a 7-2 mark in conference play and sit tied for third in the Big 12 standings.

OU's only loss of the conference season was to No.1 and undefeated Nebraska at home while Missouri has recorded losses against Colorado and Nebraska. The Tigers dropped their Big 12 opener to the Buffs and had their seven-match win streak snapped against No. 1 Nebraska last week.

After snapping its winning steak to Nebraska last Wednesday, the Tigers arrive well rested due its bye weekend. The Sooners enter the match with momentum after two hard-fought five-game wins this past week against Texas Tech and Kansas State.

Missouri will be the fourth ranked squad that Oklahoma has faced this season. The Sooners earned their first victory over a ranked team since 1998 with an upset over then-No. 8 Texas this past September. OU will be aiming for its second straight win against a ranked opponent Wednesday night.

SCOUTING NO. 12 MISSOURI
The Tigers own a 13-5 overall mark and have faced a tough schedule this season with three of its losses coming against top-five teams and its other two losses to teams that have received votes in the top-25. Prior to its 3-0 loss to Nebraska last week, the Tigers were on a roll with a seven-match win streak that included a sweep of Texas.

The Tigers are led by 2005 AVCA honorable mention All-Americans Nicole Wilson and Jessica Vander Kooi. Offensively, Vander Kooi is one of the best outside hitters in the Big 12 with a 4.27 kill per game average (4th in the Big 12) while Wilson complements at middle blocker with 3.21 KPG on a team-leading .335 hitting percentage.

As an offensive unit, the Tigers are one of the top teams in the conference in Big 12 play only. As a team, MU owns a .244 hitting percentage (third in Big 12) and a 15.79 kill per game mark (third in Big 12) in Big 12 contests. Additionally, Missouri is tough behind the line where they lead all Big 12 schools with a 1.73 ace per game mark in league matches.

Wilson is also highlighting the defensive side for the Tigers as she is leading the team with 1.32 blocks per game and has been even more impressive in Big 12 matches where she is sixth in the conference with a 1.36 block per game mark.

Missouri owns the battle in digs against Oklahoma as it is collecting 16.0 digs to OU's 15.07. Headlining the back row defense is libero Tatum Ailes, last season's Big 12 libero of the year. The junior is averaging 4.80 kills per game this season.

SERIES RECORDS
In the all-time series between the squads, OU leads 32-26. However, since the beginning of Big 12 play (1996), the Tigers own a 14-6 advantage over the Sooners. OU will be searching for its first win against Missouri since Nov.3, 1999 when OU swept the Tigers in Norman.

LAST TIME THEY MET
The Tigers swept the Sooners in both matches last season, including the final meeting in Norman. In that match, Missouri, ranked No. 13 at the time, handed the Sooners a 3-0 loss (30-20, 30-21, 30-28). The Sooners committed too many errors and couldn't overcome as they recorded a .141 hitting percentage. The lone highlight for the Sooners was outside hitter Sarah Weiland, who recorded her first double-double of the season with a 14-kill, 14-dig performance.

UP NEXT: NO. 9 TEXAS
After playing the Tigers, OU will head to Austin for a rematch against No. 9 Texas, whom the Sooners upset earlier this year, at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Following UT, the Sooners will hit the road for a match against Kansas in Lawrence on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

KANSAS STATE IN REVIEW
The Sooners snapped a 14-match losing streak to Kansas State Saturday night with its second straight come-from-behind win in the 3-2 victory (27-30, 30-21, 21-30, 30-27, 15-8). Senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt and freshman Bridget Laplante continued their torrid pace in Big 12 play. Laplante recorded a season-high 23 kills on a .319 hitting percentage. Schmitt was equally impressive as she recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 19 kills and 15 digs.

SCHMITT APPROACHING HISTORICAL MARK
OU's career rally-scoring leader in kills and digs, Joanna Schmitt, is approaching another career milestone. The senior outside hitter is approaching the 1,000 kill/1,000 dig career mark that only four other Sooners have held in OU history. Schmitt needs 13 more digs this season to reach the 1,000 plateau. While Schmitt will become the fourth Sooner in history to accomplish the feat, she would become the first Sooner in the rally-scoring era to reach the 1,000 kill and dig mark.

BEST START EVER AFTER 19 MATCHES
19 matches into the season, the Sooners are off to their best start ever in the 32-year history of the program. The previous best record was in 1984 when the Sooners went 15-4 to start off the season. Similarly, OU's 8-1 record in Big 12 play marks its best start in Big 12 history and in any conference play. In 1987, OU opened the season at 7-2 during the Big Eight Conference stretch.

SOONERS MOVE TO NO. 23 IN TOP-25 POLL
Ranked for the first time in 18 years, the Oklahoma volleyball squad continues to climb up the polls as it received a No. 23 ranking in the latest CSTV/AVCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll released Oct.16. This season marks the first time the OU volleyball program has been ranked since 1988, when it finished with a 23-9 overall mark and 8-4 record in Big Eight play. Prior to this season's ranking, 1988 marked the only season in the 32-year history of the OU volleyball program that it was ranked in the top 25 poll.

BIGGEST COME BACK SINCE 2004
OU's victory against Texas Tech marked the first time in two years that Oklahoma rallied to win a match after a 2-0 deficit. OU's last win after a 2-0 deficit was a win over Texas-Pan American on Sept. 4, 2004. During that match, OU had to come back from a 28-30 and 25-30 deficit.

SOONERS PERFECT ON BIG 12 ROAD
Oklahoma and Nebraska remain the only teams in the Big 12 Conference with a perfect road record in conference play. With its win against Kansas State, the Sooners improved to 5-0 in league matches on the road. Other Big 12 wins away from home were against Texas A&M, Iowa State, Colorado and Kansas State.

MOST WINS SINCE 1997
With a 16-3 record and a little more than a half of the season completed, Oklahoma has already accumulated more wins than any other squad since the 1997 team. That season marked OU's last trip to the NCAA Tournament as the team finished with a 20-13, and 13-7 mark in Big 12 play. With a current 8-1 Big 12 mark, it also marks the most league wins since 1997.

SOONERS AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
OU's win against No. 8 Texas marked the school's first win over a ranked team since 1998 (a victory over then-No. 22 Kansas State). Prior to OU's win, the Sooners had faced 53 ranked opponents, but couldn't pull out a win over any of the top-25 opponents.

MAKING HISTORY
The 2006 version of the Oklahoma volleyball squad has been all about making history and defying the odds. Below is a list of the accomplishments the squad has achieved this season.

* Win over then-No. 8 Texas marks first -time ever OU has beaten Texas in volleyball and the first time since 1998 that OU beat a top-25 team.

* A sweep of Texas A&M marked the first time OU had beaten Texas A&M since 1979 and its first victory ever in College Station. It was also the first time in the history of the Big 12 that OU collected an opening Big 12 road win.

* Oklahoma beat Colorado for the first time in Boulder since Oct. 13, 1988

* OU cracked the top-25 polls on Oct. 2 for the first time since 1988.

* The Sooners victory over Kansas marked the first time OU won against the Jayhawks since Nov. 8, 1997.

* With a come-from-behind 3-2 win, OU beat Texas Tech in Lubbock for the first time since Oct. 18, 1997.

* OU snaps a 14-match losing streak to Kansas State with a 3-2 win over the Wildcats in Manhattan.

SEEING DOUBLE
Outside hitter Joanna Schmitt has been the Sooners' go-to-girl this season. It is no surprise as the senior captain is leading the team with a 4.22 kills per game average and has recorded nine double-doubles already this season.

BLOCK PARTY
Traditionally when people think of the top blocking team in the Big 12, perennial powerhouse Nebraska comes to mind. However, Oklahoma is working on taking over that title as the Sooners lead the conference with 3.29 blocks per game in Big 12 matches only.

SOONER SWEEPS
The Oklahoma volleyball team is off to one of its best starts in history and not only is the squad winning, it is doing it in convincing fashion. Oklahoma has swept in 12 of its 16 victories this season. Additionally, the squad set a school record with seven consecutive sweeps from Sept. 2 - Sept. 13.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES

#1 JULIE CHESTER
Battled for a starting setter spot during the preseason but has seen minimal playing time this season ... Only start of the season came against Texas Southern where she recorded 39 assists in three games.

#2 RACHEL JACKSON
Third in the conference with 13.43 assists per game in Big 12 matches ... Set an OU five-game rally-scoring record with 73 assists in OU's win over No. 8 Texas .... Leading the squad to the third-best hitting percentage in the Big 12.

#3 ANNA STADEL
A consistent starter for the Sooners last season but playing time has diminished this season ... Has started in six of OU's matches this season ... Saw action in one game against Kansas where she recorded one kill on a .500 clip.

#4 LAURA TOMES
Most improved player this season ... Her .397 clip ranks third among all Big 12 players ... Most consistent hitter for the Sooners this season ...Impressive at the net against Kansas State where she recorded seven block assists.

#5 LACY BARNES
The DS pounded the match-winning ace in OU's sweep of Iowa State ... Waiting her turn to start behind veteran defensive specialists Anna Monsen and Hannah Sharp.

#6 SARAH WEILAND
Outside hitter is only Sooner to start every match this season ... An offensive threat averaging 1.92 KPG on a .221 clip.

#8 JOANNA SCHMITT
Offensive leader for the Sooners ... Leads team with nine double-doubles on the season ... Owns team-best 4.22 kills per game ... Only needs 13 more digs to accomplish the 1,000 dig mark..

#9 BRIDGET LAPLANTE
A huge contribution to this year's lineup ... Has really turned it on in Big 12 play ... Recorded career-high 23 kills in OU's last outing against Kansas State ... Owns three double-doubles on the year.

#10 ANNA MONSEN
Set a school record with 30 digs against the talented No. 8 Texas offense ... Leads team with 4.72 digs per game.

#11 FRANCIE EKWEREKWU
Planning to redshirt this season.

#12 ELIANE SANTOS
2006 Preseason All-Big 12 Selection ... OU's leading force at the net with 1.44 BPG ... Recorded 11 blocks in Texas victory.

#13 MARIANA BLUM
Two-time juco All-American at Hutchinson Community College ... Still adjusting to NCAA Division I style of volleyball ... Often subs in for her serving.

#14 HANNAH SHARP
A defensive replacement sub that has played in every game this season ... Averaging 2.10 digs per game.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors