Volleyball Faces Tough Challenge

Holiday Inn L.A. City Center Trojan Invitational
Date	Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 4-6
Location	The Galen Center (10,258)
Tickets	General Admission: $7
Internet	Live Webcast on TrojanTV All-Access \| Live Stats
Game Info	Game Notes (PDF)

NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma volleyball team (1-2) face a tough challenge this weekend, Sept. 4-6, at the Trojan Invitational in Los Angeles, Calif. The Sooners open the tournament against host and seventh-ranked Southern California (0-2) on Friday at 9 p.m. CT from the 10,258-seat Galen Center.

On Friday, OU takes on its second ranked opponent in as many days, as the Sooners meet the 21st-ranked San Diego Toreros (3-0) at 7 p.m. CT. Oklahoma closes out tournament action Saturday with a 6 p.m. CT match against the Hofstra Pride.

The Sooners have met the three squads a combined six times. While OU faced USD during the 2007 season, the Sooners have not played Hofstra since 1993. The last time Oklahoma and Southern Cal met was during the 1990 season. USC leads the OU series, 1-0, while San Diego has a 2-0 advantage on the Sooners. Hofstra has the advantage against the Sooners, leading the series, 2-1.

Last weekend, OU posted a 1-2 record in the Sooner Legends/Nike Invitational. Oklahoma opened with a 3-1 win over Michigan State before falling to eventual tournament winner Wichita State, 3-0, and then-#10 Cal Poly, 3-2.

Redshirt sophomore Francie Ekwerekwu was named to the all-tournament team after leading the Sooners in scoring during the three-day event. She totaled 36 kills and five block solos. Teammate Chrissy Disarro tallied 18 blocks during the tournament. Disarro ended the tournament with five block solos and 13 block assists. Her eight total blocks against Michigan State was a new career-high. Of the 16 players on OU's active roster, 14 saw action in at least one set of the tournament.

San Diego won all three matches at the San Diego State Invitational by defeating Albany, UC Irvine and cross-town rival San Diego State. Senior setter Jessica Nyrop was named to the all-tournament team after posting a double-double in the final match with 36 assists and 10 digs.

Hofstra dropped their season-opener to Fairfield, 3-2, before getting a pair of wins over Siena and Seton Hall during the Hofstra/Asics Invitational in Hempstead, N.Y. Southern California opened the year at the Runza/AVCA Showcase in Omaha, Neb. The Women of Troy came away 0-2 on the weekend after dropping a pair of matches to then seventh-ranked Nebraska, 3-1, and to then-third-ranked Texas, 3-0.

Live stats from the event will be available on the Southern Cal athletics web site, www.usctrojans.com. A live web stream of the OU-USC match on Thursday is available through Trojan TV All-Access. A subscription is required to watch the broadcast.