OU Opens NCAA Tournament at USC

Dec. 1, 2009

NCAA Championship First Round
Oklahoma at Southern California
Friday, Dec. 4 | 9 p.m. CT | Galen Center | Los Angeles, Calif.
Tournament Central

Senior Bridget Laplante has been to the NCAA Tournament three of her four years at Oklahoma.

A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS
New Mexico (20-9, 10-6 MWC) takes on No. 12 seeded Hawai'i (28-2, 16-0 WAC) in the opening match Friday at 7 p.m. CT. OU (18-11, 11-9 Big 12) faces Southern California (21-9, 10-8 Pac 10) on Friday evening at 9 p.m. CT. Friday's winners advance to the second round match, scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m. CT.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
Making their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, the Sooners enter Friday's match 18-11 on the year and posted an 11-9 mark in Big 12 play. Suzy Boulavsky leads the team with 3.07 kills per set, while All-Big 12 freshmen team member María Fernanda leads the squad with 4.42 digs per set. All-Big 12 performer Brianne Barker commands the offense with 9.90 assists per set and Sarah Freudenrich drops 1.03 blocks per set. Four Sooners have double-digit aces with Caitlin Higgins leading the way with 0.21 per set. Head coach Santiago Restrepo is in his sixth season at the helm of the OU program and is one win shy of his 100th at the school.

SCOUTING USC
The Women of Troy finished the regular season with a 21-9 mark and 10-8 record in the Pac 10. USC enters the NCAA Tournament playing their best volleyball of the season, having won six straight and four consecutive matches at the Galen Center. Led by ninth year head coach Mick Haley, the Women of Troy are led offensively by Alex Jupiter, who averages 4.57 kps, while Jessica Gysin averages 3.43. Defensively, Alli Hillgren carries USC with 4.51 dps. Audrey Eichler is the team's leading blocker, dropping 1.03 bps. Kendall Bateman is the squad's primary setter with a 12.51 aps mark.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
The Lobos enter the NCAA Tournament with a 20-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the Mountain West Conference. The 10-6 conference mark was good enough for third behind Colorado State and TCU. Winners of seven of their last 10, UNM is 2-1 on the road in their last three contests. New Mexico is led by third year head coach Jeff Nelson. Taylor Hadfield is the Lobos' leader in kills with 2.65 per set. Rose Morris is a close second with a 2.62 kps average. Allison Buck averages 4.06 dps and Ashley Rhoades and Anna Lehne each average 1.08 to pace UNM defensively. Jade Michaelsen tallies 10.34 assists per set.

SCOUTING HAWAI'I
The Rainbow Wahine won their 14th straight Western Athletic Conference title to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. While a No. 12 national seed is a bit deceiving, Hawai'i is 28-2 on the year and went a perfect 16-0 in conference play. Kanai Danielson leads the Wahine with 4.12 kps and Aneli Cubi-Otineru averages 3.12. Elizabeth Ka'aihue paces Hawai'i defensively with 3.64 dps and Brittany Hewitt is one of the nation's leaders with 1.33 bps. Dani Mafua is the team's primary setter with 11.67 aps. Head coach Dave Shoji is in his 34th season at the helm of the Rainbow Wahine program.