No. 22 Sooners Edge Baylor, 3-2

Nov. 14, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 22 Oklahoma volleyball team pulled out another close match Wednesday night as it edged Baylor, 3-2 (30-27, 27-30, 30-24, 24-30, 16-14), inside the McCasland Field House.

With the win, Oklahoma recorded its second-straight 20-win season and its 13th in school history. The Sooners are 20-7 and 12-5 in Big 12 play this season while also improving to 6-2 in five-game matches this season.

Baylor fell to 14-14 and 6-11 in the conference race. The OU win secured a sweep over the Bears this season as Oklahoma knocked off Baylor, 3-1, in Waco earlier this year.
"Tonight once again showed the personality of this team," head coach Santiago Restrepo said. "This team never gives up and is at its best during crunch time. I thought we really came through in the fifth game tonight."

The fifth game saw 11 ties and two lead changes with Oklahoma leading most of the frame. The Sooners jumped out to their largest lead at 10-7, but the Bears tied it up at 10-10. The two squads tied it up again four more times to make it 14-14. However, Bridget Laplante recorded a kill and Anna Stadel won the game and the match with her service ace.

Setter Julie Chester returned from her injury and made her first start since Oct. 31. The senior led the offense to a .198 clip with 61 assists. She also led three different Sooners to double-digit kills. Chester was also solid on defense with 11 digs and three block assists.

Redshirt freshman Francie Ekwerekwu recorded a match-high .519 hitting percentage with 17 kills. Ekwerekwu only recorded three attack errors in the five-game match.

Senior Mariana Blum was also solid on offense as she led the team with 18 kills and notched her 16th double-double of the season with a team-high 24 digs. Sarah Weiland added to OU's offensive power as she pounded 15 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.

In addition to Blum and Chester's defense, Stadel was solid at the net as she recorded a season-high eight block assists. Weiland also added five block assists while Ekwerekwu added three.

Libero Hannah Sharp added to the back row effort with 22 digs while Laplante also collected 22 digs.

The Sooners only have three matches of the regular season remaining. Oklahoma will hit the road this Saturday for a rematch with No. 2 Nebraska in Lincoln at 7 p.m.

The Sooners will return to the Field House for their final home match of the regular season next Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Missouri. Wednesday night will also mark Senior Night as Mariana Blum, Julie Chester, Hannah Sharp, Anna Stadel, Sarah Weiland will be honored.

Oklahoma will close out its regular season on Saturday, Nov. 24 at Iowa State.

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