No. 25 OU Hosts Baylor Wednesday

NORMAN, Okla. - After cracking in to the top-25 poll, the No. 25 Oklahoma volleyball team (12-3, 4-1 Big 12) looks to extend its three-match winning streak as it hosts a two-match home stand this week. The Sooners welcome the Baylor Bears (13-4, 2-3) this Wednesday at the Howard McCasland Field House for a 7 p.m. contest.

PROMOTIONS
Wednesday night will mark DARE night and the first 250 fans in attendance will receive a free OU head band.

TICKETS
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
Prior to the start of Big 12 play, the Baylor Bears owned a nine-match win streak and pushed it to 10 with a win over then-No. 24 Kansas State in its Big 12 opener. Since beating the Wildcats, the Bears are 1-3 against Big 12 schools with loses to Iowa State, then-No. 19 Missouri and No. 1 Nebraska. BU's other win in Big 12 play was a five-game victory against Texas Tech in Waco.

The Sooners have opened Big 12 play on fire as they are off to their best start in Big 12 history and best start in conference play since 1993 which was the Big Eight Conference then). Oklahoma's lone loss in conference play was against No. 1 Nebraska, a 3-0 sweep by the Huskers.

Wednesday night's match up will also be a battle at the net as Oklahoma and Baylor are the top two teams in the conference in blocking, respectively.

SCOUTING BAYLOR
The Baylor Bears arrive in Norman with an impressive 13-4 overall mark and a 2-3 record in league play. The Bears have played a tough schedule in the last week as they faced No.17 Missouri and No. 1 Nebraska. Although it didn't win, BU put up quite a fight as it took the Tigers and Huskers to four games.

The strength of the Baylor squad is at the net where they are second in Big 12 matches with 3.42 blocks per game. A majority of BU's success at the net is from preseason All-Big 12 selection Desiree Guilliard-Young, who is averaging 1.60 blocks per game (2nd in the Big 12). Guilliard-Young and fellow middle blocker Anna Breyfogle (1.48 BPG) team up as one of the deadliest blocking combinations in the Big 12.

The Bears also own an advantage over the Sooners in another defensive category - digs. The Bears own almost two more digs per game than the Sooners as they average 16.41 DPG. Libero Kristen Schramek is leading the back row with 4.36 digs per game while LeBlanc is recording 3.27 per game and Barnes is averaging 2.33 DPG.

Offensively, the Bears are tough behind the line as they are leading the Big 12 with 1.75 aces per game in conference matches only. BU's setter Taylor Barnes is tough as she is leading the conference with 0.95 aces per game.

Leading the offensive charge for the Bears is Nicole LeBlanc (3.82 KPG) while Guilliard-Young (2.94 KPG), Breyfogle (2.62 KPG) and Katie Sanders (2.21 KPG). The foursome brings a tough offensive attack for opponents to stop. Additionally, Guilliard-Young and Breyfogle are extremely consistent as they have been hitting .380 and .339, respectively.

SERIES RECORDS
OU leads the all-time series between the schools, 21-13. OU has taken four of the last five from the Bears in Norman. In fact, OU owns a 13-3 advantage over the Bears when the match is played in Norman.

LAST TIME THEY MET
The Sooners and Bears split the two-match series last season with OU claiming the win at home in one of the final matches of the regular season. The Sooners and Bears went to four games in Norman as the Oklahoma offense turned in one of its best performances of the season with a .247 clip. Additionally, Sarah Weiland had a career performance as the outside hitter pounded 22 kills while recording seven block assists at the net.

UP NEXT: KANSAS
The Sooners continue their two-match home stand Saturday as they host the Kansas Jayhawks (8-7, 1-5 Big 12) this Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. inside the McCasland Field House. Following the KU match, OU will hit the road next week to take on Texas Tech (Oct. 11) and Kansas State (Oct. 14).

OU CRACKS INTO TOP-25 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1988
The historical season continues for the Oklahoma volleyball team as it received a No. 25 ranking in the latest CSTV/AVCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll released Monday, Oct. 2. It 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 week'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.

SOONERS PERFECT ON BIG 12 ROAD
With its five-game win over Colorado this past Saturday, the Oklahoma volleyball squad is a perfect 3-0 in Big 12 road matches. The Sooners had previously swept Texas A&M and Iowa State on the road. Ironically, all three of these teams were receiving votes in the top-25 when OU handed them a loss.

BEST START IN BIG 12 HISTORY
In just his third year at the helm of the OU volleyball program, head coach Santiago Restrepo has the Sooners off to their best Big 12 start in history with their 4-1 mark. OU has never started 4-1 in Big 12 play. The last OU squad to post as good of a conference record was the 1993 squad, who went 5-0 at the start of the Big Eight Conference.

FIRST GAME = VICTORY
It has been crucial for OU to jump out on top of its opponent this season as it has won 11 of its 12 matches this season after clinching the first game. In the Sooners' three lone losses this season, they were unsuccessful in the first frame. Colorado marked the only squad OU dropped the first game to, but rallied back for the win.

PLAYER TO WATCH: JOANNA SCHMITT
OU's senior captain is making a name for herself as one of the top players in the Big 12 Conference. After struggling with an ankle injury all last season, Schmitt has come out on fire for her senior campaign.

Schmitt has been instrumental in OU's turn around this season as the Sooners are currently one of the top three teams in the Big 12 Conference.

In OU's last two wins, including an upset of No. 8 Texas, the outside hitter has averaged a double-double and is currently leading the team with 4.44 digs per game while collecting 2.58 digs per game.

OU NATIONALLY
Oklahoma has been one of the top teams in the NCAA in various offensive categories. Below is a look at where Oklahoma stands in the NCAA rankings. These are the current rankings as of Oct. 3, 2006.

NCAA Team Rankings

Category	Stat	Rank
Kills per game	16.20	28th
Blocks per game	3.11	25th

NCAA Individual Rankings

Assists per game	Stat	Rank
Rachel Jackson	13.57	6th
Hitting Percentage
Laura Tomes	.436	9th

SOONERS UPSET NO. 8 TEXAS IN SCHOOL'S FIRST-EVER WIN
It took 31 years, but Oklahoma beat border rival Texas, who was ranked No. 8 at the time, for the first time in school history last Wednesday night. The Longhorns had previously held a 28-0 advantage in the series until Oklahoma used a five-game win (30-28, 30-21, 31-33, 26-30, 15-13) to beat the Horns and earn its first win over a ranked team since 1998. In the five-game match in Norman, Oklahoma set eight different OU rally-scoring records while four different Sooners recorded double-doubles.

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.

OU ENDS 27-YEAR LOSING STREAK
Beating Texas A&M for the first time since 1979, the OU volleyball team opened the Big 12 season in dramatic fashion with a sweep (30-28, 30-26, 30-28) of the Aggies in front of 2,588 rowdy fans in College Station, Texas.

WITH THE TAMU WIN:
* The Sooners picked up their first ever win in College   Station.
* It marked the first time under coach Restrepo that OU   won its opening Big 12 match.
* Oklahoma collected an opening Big 12 road win for   the first time in the history of the conference.
* Set a school mark with most consecutive sweeps in   school history.

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 66 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.

JACKSON LEADING THE OFFENSE
A large part of the success of the OU offense is due to setter Rachel Jackson's efforts. The Big 12 leader in assists per game (Big 12 matches only) is guiding the offense to a .257 clip this season, which ranks second in the Big 12 conference. Twice, Jackson has broken the OU five-game rally-scoring record for assists in a game.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Through 15 matches, last season Oklahoma owned a 4-11 overall mark and an 0-7 mark in Big 12 play. In 2006, the Sooners have already surpassed last year's win total in conference and overall and a comparison of the stats below shows what a difference a year makes.

Through 15 Matches 2005 2006

Kills per game	14.11	16.20
Assists per game	13.04	14.82
Digs per game	11.86	14.67
Blocks per game	2.45	3.11

CONSISTENT TOMES
Entering the season head coach Santiago Restrepo said Laura Tomes had made the biggest strides during the offseason in terms of her strength and power. So it is no surprise to Restrepo that Tomes is having a breakout season during her senior campaign.

Tomes has been the Sooners most consistent hitter this season as she is leading the team with a .436 clip in addition to a 3.39 kill per game average. Not only does Tomes lead the OU team, she is also leading all Big 12 players through all matches with her impressive clip and is currently ranked ninth in the nation with her hitting percentage.

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 4.44 kills per game average and has recorded seven double-doubles already this season.

SOONER HITTING PERCENTAGE
Another goal for the Sooner squad this season was improved hitting percentage and it looks like the extra offseason work paid off for the team. Last season, Oklahoma finished 10th in the Big 12 with a .180 clip. Currently the Sooners own a team hitting percentage of .257, second in the Big 12, and have four Sooners hitting .300 or better.

OU'S ELIANE SANTOS EARNS PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 HONORS
Oklahoma volleyball senior Eliane Santos was one of 13 players selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team, which is voted on by the league's head coaches.

The 6-5 middle blocker had a break-out season in her first year with the Sooners. The junior transfer led the squad in kills (3.86 per game) and blocks (1.57 per game), both of which ranked fifth among all Big 12 players. She was also selected by Collegiate Volleyball Update as one of the top five blockers in the country.

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
Averaging 13.79 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 second-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 ... Played in only two games of Big 12 action so far.

#4 LAURA TOMES
Most improved player this season ... Her .436 clip ranks second among all Big 12 players ... Most consistent hitter for the Sooners this season.

#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 1.94 KPG on a .227 clip.

#8 JOANNA SCHMITT
Has recorded two double-doubles in last two outings ... Leads team with 4.44 kills per game ... Has almost twice as many attacks as any other Sooner.

#9 BRIDGET LAPLANTE
Made the difference in OU's victory over No. 8 Texas with her first career double-double (20 kills, 12 digs) ... The freshman was a key starter against Texas A&M as she pounded five kills in game one of the sweep ... Entered the starting lineup eight matches ago.

#10 ANNA MONSEN
Set a school record with 30 digs against the talented No. 8 Texas offense ... Leads team with 4.56 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 1.51 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 ... Recorded 13 aces this season.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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