OU Stops 27-Year Slide Against A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Beating Texas A&M for the first time since 1979, the OU volleyball team opened the Big 12 season in dramatic fashion Wednesday night 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 win, the Sooners (9-2, 1-0 Big 12) extended their winning streak to seven and picked up their first ever win in College Station in the history of the series. The Aggies, who were receiving votes in the top 25, fell to 7-2 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12 while ending their four-match win streak.

The only other OU win in the all-time series (TAMU leads 32-2) for OU was Sept. 15, 1979, in Denton, Texas. Additionally, the win marked the Sooners' ninth sweep of the season as every win this year has been a 3-0 victory.

Box Score | Cumulative Stats | 2006 Schedule

“We played very well tonight and I think the key to the match was that our girls were relaxed and confident,” head coach Santiago Restrepo said. “We needed points at crucial times and every time our squad came through.”

In a match that saw 16 lead changes and 31 different ties, it was the Oklahoma defense that led the Sooners to victory. Oklahoma recorded 14.5 blocks against the Aggies, the most an A&M opponent had recorded all season, and it was led by middle blocker Eliane Santos' eight block assists and one solo block at the net.

“Eliane is one of the top blockers in the country and she finally showed her potential tonight,” Restrepo said. “She was a big difference-maker for us tonight.”

Adding to the Sooner defense was setter Rachel Jackson who teamed up for five block assists at the net while libero Anna Monsen highlighted the back row with her match-high 15 digs. Defensive specialist Hannah Sharp (11) and Jackson (10) also collected double-digit digs.

The defense held Texas A&M to a .172 hitting percentage in the three-game match while the OU offense posted a .207 hitting percentage and was led by senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt.

Schmitt tied the match high with her 15 kills, marking the ninth time this season she has recorded double-digit kills. Senior Laura Tomes continued her consistency with 11 kills on a .500 clip while junior Sarah Weiland added nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage also.

Jackson spread out the offense out as she recorded 41 assists while guiding freshman Bridget Laplante to nine kills and Santos to seven. Laplante was a key player in game one as she led the Sooners with five kills in the first frame.

The win marked the first time under Restrepo the Sooners had won their opening Big 12 match and the first time since the inception of the Big 12 that the Sooners have won their opening Big 12 match on the road.

“We are definitely excited to open the Big 12 season with a win,” Restrepo said. “Hopefully it will give us confidence as we go into the season. However, we must continue to improve and we'll start tomorrow morning getting ready for Nebraska.”

The road doesn't get any easier for the Sooners as they face the No. 1 team in the country this Saturday in the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Oklahoma will host NU at 7 p.m. inside the Howard McCasland Field House Saturday night.

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