Volleyball Heads to No. 9 Wisconsin

NORMAN, Okla. - Taking its momentum from its last two wins, the Oklahoma volleyball team will face its toughest non-conference test of the season this upcoming weekend as it heads to the InnTowner Invitational in Madison, Wis.., Sept 1-2.

The Sooners (2-1) will open tournament action against No. 9 Wisconsin inside the raucous UW Field House, which often averages over 4,000 fans every match. OU will square off against UW on Friday at 7 p.m. and match up against Oregon State (10 a.m.) and South Dakota State (5 p.m.) in Saturday's action.

SENIOR HOMECOMING
This weekend's action will be a homecoming for seniors Joanna Schmitt (Cottage Grove, Wis.) and Anna Monsen (Stoughton, Wis.). The two Wisconsin natives will be playing in their home state for the first time in their career.

2006 Schedule | Match Notes | Live Stats

SCOUTING WISCONSIN
The ninth-ranked Badgers are playing on their home court for the second straight weekend after hosting the AVCA Showcase last weekend at the UW Field House. Wisconsin owns a 1-1 record after dropping a 3-0 match to No. 8 Texas and coming from behind to beat No. 15 Ohio, 3-2. The Badgers, picked to finish second in the Big Ten, are a veteran group with four starters returning including preseason All-Big Ten selection Audra Jeffers (2.12 KPG, 1.00 BPG) and senior Maria Carlini (3.00 KPG; 2.50 DPG). Both outside hitters are pacing the Badger offense that is averaging 12 kills a game. Defensively, UW is tough at the net as every girl on the front row is taller than six feet and the Badgers are averaging 3.25 blocks per game.

SCOUTING OREGON STATE
OSU currently owns a 1-2 record after losses to Cal Poly and UNLV, but will face Loyola (Chicago) on Wednesday before heading to the tournament in Madison on Friday. Returning three starters and second-year coach Taras Liskevych, the Beavers were picked to finish seventh in the challenging Pac-10 Conference race. Headlining the Beaver lineup are freshman Rachel Rourke and junior Kristin Murray, both all-tournament selections at the UNLV Classic this past weekend. Rourke has been a significant addition for the Beavers as she is leading the team with 5.17 kills per game while Murray, the junior outside hitter, is second on the squad with 3.42 kills per game. Murray is also a huge contributor on the defensive end where she collects 3.17 digs per game behind the team leader, Natalie Hooper (3.45 DPG).

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
The Jackrabbits are the lone squad in the tourney to maintain a perfect record. Owning a 4-0 mark, SDSU beat North Dakota State, Weber State, Gonzaga and Washington State in its home tournament last weekend. South Dakota State enters the season with its most experienced squad since 2001 when it took national runner-up honors in the NCAA Division II Championships. With six starters returning the Jackrabbits are hoping to make their first year of being eligible in NCAA Division I postseason play a memorable one. Highlighting the group of returning starters is outside hitter Minette Ridenour (4.18 KPG, 3.94 DPG) who is leading the Jacks to a .252 hitting percentage. Defensively, the squad is averaging 16.18 digs per game and recording 2.65 blocks at the net behind the play of middle blocker Amy Anderson (1.24 BPG).

UPCOMING
The Sooners will return home next Wednesday, Sept. 6 as they take on the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles inside the Howard McCasland Field House. First serve is set for 7 p.m. OU will be looking to avenge a five-game match it dropped last year in Tulsa.

IN REWIND
For the first time in 12 years, the Oklahoma volleyball team hosted a tournament at home. This past weekend Arkansas, North Carolina and Idaho visited Norman for the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational in the Howard McCasland Field House. The Sooners posted a 2-1 record over the weekend, sweeping both Idaho and North Carolina, and claiming second-place honors.

Arkansas 3, OU 2 (28-30, 29-31, 30-20, 30-24, 14-16)
OU's opening match of the year provided much entertainment for the fans, but unfortunately not the result it had hoped. The Sooners rallied back from a 2-0 deficit and took games three and four. The match came down to the fifth set, but OU couldn't hang on when it was tied 14-14 as the Ladybacks recorded two straight kills to win the game and the match. Senior Joanna Schmitt highlighted the match with her double-double (22 kills, 13 digs).

OU 3, Idaho 0 (30-25, 30-20, 30-17)
Oklahoma took its opening-season loss out on Idaho as it came out strong offensively, hitting over .200 in every game while the Sooner defense held the Idaho Vandals under .100 in games two and three of the match. In her first match of the season, senior Laura Tomes was explosive, setting a career high with 18 kills on a .552 clip. Setter Rachel Jackson captained the offense with 45 assists while leading the Sooners to a .324 hitting percentage.

OU 3, North Carolina 0 (30-15, 30-19, 30-25)
The Sooners took second place in the tournament after sweeping the 2005 ACC Champs in the tournament's finale. The Sooners hit .310, led by Eliane Santos' .462 hitting percentage and 13 kills and senior Joanna Schmitt's 16 kills. Additionally, the defense was exceptional at the net, totaling 14 blocks and holding the Tar Heels to a .027 clip.

SOONERS AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
OU will face its first ranked opponent of the season Friday as it takes on No. 9 Wisconsin. The Sooners will be looking for their first win against a top-25 opponent since 1998 (a victory over then-No.22 Kansas State). The Badgers will be the 52nd ranked opponent OU has played since that streak began.

SCHMITT, JACKSON GRAB TOURNEY HONORS
Senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt and senior setter Rachel Jackson highlighted the Sooner offense this past weekend as each grabbed all-tournament honors for their efforts.

Schmitt recorded double-digit digs in every match and averaged 4.36 kills per game as she collected her fifth all-tournament selection of her career.

Jackson was exceptional in the opening weekend as she averaged 14.64 assists per game while also setting an OU five-game rally-scoring record with 66 assists against Arkansas. Earning the first all-tournament accolade of her career, Jackson led the Sooners to a .250 hitting percentage on the weekend.

It is clear that Coach Restrepo was right when he stated during the preseason that right side hitter Laura Tomes had improved the most during the offseason and worked out extremely hard over the summer.

Entering her senior campaign, Tomes has made an immediate impact on the Sooner lineup. In her two matches played this season she has averaged 5.00 kills per game while hitting at an impressive .574 clip. She has been a force on defense as well, averaging 1.0 blocks per game for the Sooners.

In 2005, Tomes was a consistent player for the Sooners as she played in all but two matches for the Sooners while averaging 1.41 KPG on a .241 hitting percentage.

SCHMITT SEEING DOUBLE
In addition to earning all-tournament honors, outside hitter Joanna Schmitt was seeing double over the weekend as she produced two double-doubles during the tournament.

The senior was exceptional on both sides of the ball as she tallied double-digit kills in every match and averaged 2.82 digs per game in the opening weekend of play.

YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISON
Since head coach Santiago Restrepo's arrival in 2004, the Oklahoma volleyball team has improved every year in statistical categories. While only three matches in to the 2006 season, the Sooners are following the same path, improving in kills per game, assists per game, aces per game and blocks per game.

Comparison 2005 2006

Kills per game	14.25	16.00
Assists per game	13.12	15.09
Aces per game	1.44	2.00
Blocks per game	2.88	3.05

JACKSON SETS TOP MARK
Senior setter Rachel Jackson got the OU offense to a great start in its opening match against Arkansas. Jackson set an OU five-game rally-scoring record with 66 assists against the Ladybacks. Jackson was exceptional over the weekend as she earned all-tournament honors while averaging 14.64 assists per game (second in the Big 12).

NEWCOMER DEBUT
Two Sooners, freshman Bridget Laplante and junior-transfer Mariana Blum made their Oklahoma volleyball debut this past weekend at the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational. Blum looks to be a consistent starter for the Sooners at outside while Laplante has also made noise on the outside.

Below is a look at what each newcomer contributed in OU's opening weekend:

Mariana Blum
2.00 KPG; 0.29 SAPG; 1.86 DPG

Bridget Laplante
2.25 KPG; .318 Hitting Percentage; 3.0 DPG 0.75 BPG

SHARP SERVES
Head coach Santiago Restrepo's main emphasis during the offseason was for the Sooners to work on their serving. It looks as if junior defensive specialist Hannah Sharp took note as she is leading the team in service aces with 0.55 per game. Ironically, Sharp isn't even a starter, but has twice as many aces (six) as any other Sooner.

SOONER HITTING PERCENTAGE
While only three matches in to the season, the Sooners have improved upon their hitting percentage. Last season, Oklahoma finished 10th in the Big 12 with a .180 clip. Currently the Sooners own a team hitting percentage of .250 and have three Sooners hitting over .300. OU ranks third in the Big 12 behind Texas A&M and first-place Kansas.

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.

WHAT RETURNS?
The Sooners will not be lacking playing experience as they enter the 2006 season. With six starters returning, Oklahoma's chemistry looks to be one of its biggest strengths. Below is a look at the 2005 statistical totals of the returnees and what percentage of the team totals they accounted for:

Returnees Total Percent

Kills	1,259	84
Aces	137	91
Digs	1,220	94
Blocks	217.5	72

SANTOS HONORED NATIONALLY
Junior middle blocker Eliane Santos was recognized by Collegiate Volleyball Update as one of the top five blockers in the country last season.

Collegiate Volleyball Update selected Nebraska's Melissa Elmer as its 2005 Blocker of the Year and chose four other student-athletes in the honorable mention category. Joining Santos on the honorable mention list were Arkansas's Amy Allison, UCLA's Nana Meriwether and Ivana Kuzmic of LSU.

Santos, a transfer from College of Southern Idaho, finished the season with a team-leading 1.57 blocks per game and also led the Sooners in kills per game (3.86).

It marked the first time any Sooner has received recognition from Collegiate Volleyball Update.

SCHMITT TOPS CAREER CHARTS IN KILLS AND DIGS
In her first match back from injury in the 2005 season, junior Joanna Schmitt became a member of the 1,000 kills club. Schmitt is the only Sooner to accomplish this feat in the rally-scoring era. The junior has pounded 1,266 kills during her three-year career at OU.

ANOTHER TOUGH SCHEDULE
A constant year in and year out in Big 12 play, the Oklahoma volleyball squad has put together another tough schedule for the 2006 season. The slate includes 10 teams that advanced to the 2005 NCAA Tournament and five teams in the current CSTV/AVCA Coaches Preseason Poll, including three in the top 10.

Over the course of the season, the Sooners will face currently ranked No. 1 Nebraska (twice), No. 8 Texas (twice) and No. 9 Wisconsin. Additionally, the Sooners will be pitted against No. 13 Missouri (twice) and No. 25 Kansas State (twice).

The Sooners will also face Colorado and Texas A&M twice as both of them are receiving votes in the current preseason top-25 poll.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES

#1 JULIE CHESTER
Battled for a starting setter spot during the preseason ... Has not seen any action in 2006 ... Led team in assists with 7.46 per game in 6-2 offense in 2005.

#2 RACHEL JACKSON
Won starting setter job in a tough preseason battle with Julie Chester ... Averaging 14.64 assists per game (2nd in Big 12) ... Set an OU five-game rally-scoring record with 66 assists in season-opener against Arkansas.

#3 ANNA STADEL
A consistent three-year player for the Sooners ... Played in every game this season ... Second on team in blocks last season.

#4 LAURA TOMES
Most improved player this season ... Currently ranked 2nd in the Big 12 with a .574 hitting percentage ... Set career high with 18 kills against Idaho.

#5 LACY BARNES
Saw two games of action in the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational where she recorded two digs ... Waiting her turn behind veteran defensive specialists Anna Monsen and Hannah Sharp.

#6 SARAH WEILAND
The top ace producer in the Big 12 in 2005 ... A consistent starter for the Sooners at outside hitter.

#8 JOANNA SCHMITT
Excited to return to home state this weekend to play in front of family and friends ... Has twice as many attacks as any other Sooner ... 4.36 KPG.

#9 BRIDGET LAPLANTE
Made collegiate debut against Arkansas where she recorded seven kills on a .353 hitting percentage.

#10 ANNA MONSEN
Came on strong in final matches of 2005 season and has carried it over to 2006 ... Leads team with 4.36 digs per game.

#11 FRANCIE EKWEREKWU
Has not seen any collegiate action yet, but a highly regarded middle blocker coming out of Arlington High School.

#12 ELIANE SANTOS
2006 Preseason All-Big 12 Selection ... One of OU's top go-to options on offense ... Averaging 4.0 KPG on a .381 clip while leading squad with 1.75 BPG.

#13 MARIANA BLUM
Two-time juco All-American at Hutchinson Community College ... Known for her tough jump serve ... Started two of three matches for the Sooners.

#14 HANNAH SHARP
A defensive replacement sub that has played in every game this season ... Leading team with an 0.55 ace per game average after recording six in the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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