OU Hits Road to Open Big 12 Play

NORMAN, Okla. - Owning an 8-2 non-conference mark, including a six-game winning streak, the Oklahoma volleyball team opens Big 12 play this Wednesday night on the road. The Sooners will square off against the Texas A&M Aggies at 6:30 p.m. in College Station, Texas.

LIVE WEB CAST AND STATS
Sooner fans will have a great opportunity to watch the OU vs. Texas A&M match as the Aggies' web site, www.AggieAthletics.com, will be streaming live video of the match for free. Additionally, live stats will also be provided on their web site.

Free Webcast | Live Stats | Match Notes | 2006 Schedule

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Similar to the Sooners, the Aggies are coming into their Big 12 opener on a roll as they enter the match with a four-game winning streak after winning the Texas A&M Invitational this past weekend. TAMU's lone loss this season came against LSU in the Billiken Invitational in St. Louis. The Aggies, who are receiving votes in the top-25 poll, also upset then-No. 22 Minnesota in the same tournament.

Additionally, Oklahoma will be playing in front of a tough crowd Wednesday night in College Station as the Aggies average over 1,700 fans per match and finish in the top-20 in the nation in attendance year in and year out.

Offensively, the Aggies and Sooners have very similar statistics as each squad is averaging over 16 kills a game and hitting over .250 for the season. Headlining A&M's crew is preseason All-Big 12 selection Christi Hahn, who is averaging 3.38 KPG on a .472 clip, while also making contributions at the net with an 0.83 block per game average.

Additional offense is provided by outside hitter Mary Batis who is leading the Aggies on offense averaging 4.14 kills per game and contributing 2.86 digs per game on defense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Aggies are averaging 14.97 digs to OU's 13.84 per game while OU holds the slightest advantage at the net as OU posts 2.86 BPG to TAMU's 2.84 per game.

Middle blocker Kelly Stanton leads the Aggie charge at the net with a team-leading 1.61 blocks per game.

LAST TIME THEY MET
While the two squads met last year, the Sooners and Aggies met last in College Station where Texas A&M swept the Sooners (30-22, 30-24, 30-18). The Sooners beat themselves as they recorded twice as many errors as the Aggies and hit at only a .130 clip for the three-game match. OU was unable to stop TAMU's All-American outside hitter, Laura Jones, who pounded 20 kills. Fortunately for the Sooners, Jones graduated last season.

SERIES RECORDS
The Sooners are looking for their first win against Texas A&M since 1979. In the all-time series against the Aggies, Texas A&M owns a 32-1 advantage versus the Sooners, including a 27-match winning streak. In the 33 contests between the two schools, the Sooners have only gone to five games once and have never won in College Station. OU's lone win in the series was in Denton, Texas.

BIG 12 ROAD OPENERS
The Sooners own a 1-9 mark in conference road openers since the inception of the Big 12 (1996). The last time OU won a conference road opener was in 1999 when the Crimson and Cream swept the Iowa State Cyclones. Last season, OU suffered a sweep to then-No. 22 Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., in its first league match of the season.

UP NEXT: TOP-RANKED HUSKERS
Oklahoma will open its Big 12 home season with possibly its toughest opponent of the season - the top-ranked and undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Sooners welcome the Huskers to the McCasland Field House this Saturday at 7 p.m. Currently, Nebraska owns a 7-0 mark.

Following its match against Nebraska, the Sooners will hit the road again for a match against Iowa State next Saturday, Sept. 23 in Ames, Iowa at 6:30 p.m.

IN REWIND
The Oklahoma volleyball team picked up its first tournament title of the season with three straight sweeps of Sam Houston State, North Texas and Texas Southern at the Mean Green Classic this past weekend. Below is a quick recap of all three matches:

OU 3, Sam Houston State 0 (30-12, 30-20, 30-17)
Oklahoma dominated the entire match as the defense smothered the Bearkats holding them to a -.124 while recording 12.5 tem blocks. Offensively, the Sooners served up seven aces and posted a team clip of .321 behind Laura Tomes' .750 individual hitting percentage.

OU 3, North Texas 0 (30-25, 30-22, 30-21)
In the three-game match, OU's defense continued to stay hot and the offense rallied behind Joanna Schmitt's double-double (14 kills, 11 digs). Defensively, libero Anna Monsen collected a team-high 15 digs.

OU 3, Texas Southern 0 (30-12, 30-12, 30-18)
OU head coach Santiago Restrepo rested three starters the entire match and the Sooners cruised to victory, recording its highest hitting percentage of the season (.394) as newcomer Mariana Blum led the squad with 11 kills.

TWO SOONERS COLLECT TOURNAMENT HONORS
Eliane Santos picked up her second all-tourney selection of the season and Laura Tomes collected her first as the two Sooners were named to the Mean Green Classic all-tournament team this past weekend. Santos collected all-tournament honors after averaging 4.75 kills per game with a .562 hitting percentage over the weekend. The middle blocker was stellar at the net as she recorded 0.75 blocks per game.

Tomes owns the nation's eighth-best overall hitting percentage and kept it up during tournament action as she averaged 2.89 kills per game on a .511 clip. Tomes' defensive effort was even more impressive as she led the team with 1.89 blocks per game.

SEEING DOUBLE
Outside hitter Joanna Schmitt was the Sooners' go-to-girl during the Sooners' non-conference stretch. It is no surprise as the senior captain is leading the team with a 4.38 kill per game average and is averaging a double-double every two matches.

YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISON
Since head coach Santiago Restrepo's arrival in 2004, the Oklahoma volleyball team has improved every year in statistical categories. Through the non-conference stretch this season, the Sooners are following the same path, improving in kills per game, assists per game, aces per game and blocks per game (chart below).

Comparison 2005 2006

Kills per game	14.25	16.28
Assists per game	13.12	14.66
Aces per game	1.44	2.00
Blocks per game	2.88	2.86

JACKSON LEADING THE OFFENSE
It was a preseason battle for the starting job, but senior setter Rachel Jackson claimed the position and has been extremely consistent leading the Sooner offense ever since. In addition to setting an OU five-game rally-scoring record with 66 assists against Arkansas in OU's opener, she is averaging 13.43 assists per game (4th in the country).

NEWCOMER DEBUT
Two Sooners, freshman Bridget Laplante and junior-transfer Mariana Blum made their Oklahoma volleyball debut in OU's opening weekend at the Sooner Legends Nike Invitational. While neither are in the starting lineup for the Sooners, both are seeing consistent playing time for OU.

Below is a look at what each newcomer is averaging for the Sooners:

Mariana Blum
1.73 KPG; 0.86 DPG; 0.23 SAPG

Bridget Laplante
2.23 KPG; ; 2.27 DPG; 0.45 BPG

SERVING ACES
Head coach Santiago Restrepo wanted his team to work hard in the offseason on serving. It has paid off as the Sooners are averaging 2.00 aces per game behind the play of Sarah Weiland, Laura Tomes and Hannah Sharp. Weiland, the Big 12 ace leader last season, leads the team with 0.45 aces per game while Sharp posts 0.39 SAPG.

SOONER HITTING PERCENTAGE
During the non-conference portion of the season, the Sooners 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 .280 (2nd in Big 12) and have three Sooners hitting over .400.

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.

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 currently in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches Poll, including two in the top 10. Below is a look at the teams OU have faced or will face over the course of the season. The ranking marks the school's current top-25 ranking.

#1 Nebraska (twice)
#5 Texas (twice)
#11 Wisconsin
#17 Missouri (twice)
#24 Kansas State (twice)
Additionally, Kansas and Texas A&M received votes in the top-25 poll this week.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES

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

#2 RACHEL JACKSON
Won starting setter job in a tough preseason battle with Julie Chester ... Averaging 13.43 assists per game (3rd 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 last season ... Has started in six of OU's matches this season.

#4 LAURA TOMES
Most improved player this season ... Currently ranked 2nd in the Big 12 with a .478 hitting percentage ... Named to Mean Green Classic all-tournament team last weekend.

#5 LACY BARNES
The DS has recorded eight digs in as many games this season ... 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 ... Leading Sooners with 0.45 aces per game this season.

#8 JOANNA SCHMITT
Leads team with 4.38 kills per game ... Has almost twice as many attacks as any other Sooner.

#9 BRIDGET LAPLANTE
Played best match of the season against Texas Southern as she recorded 10 kills... A consistent sub at outside hitter for the Sooners.

#10 ANNA MONSEN
Came on strong in final matches of 2005 season and has carried it over to 2006 ... Leads team with 4.48 digs per game.

#11 FRANCIE EKWEREKWU
Will likely redshirt this season.

#12 ELIANE SANTOS
2006 Preseason All-Big 12 Selection ... One of OU's top go-to options on offense ... Picked up two different all-tournament honors during non-conference season.

#13 MARIANA BLUM
Two-time juco All-American at Hutchinson Community College ... Known for her tough jump serve.

#14 HANNAH SHARP
A defensive replacement sub that has played in every game this season ... Recorded 11 aces this season.