Red River Rivalry Round One on Deck

NORMAN – The first edition of the Red River Rivalry takes place Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas, as the Sooners take on the No. 9 Longhorns. The match is set for a 1 p.m. start inside Gregory Gymnasium on SEC Network+.

Date: Sunday, Nov. 3
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Opponent: Texas
Watch: SEC Network +
Live Stats: Statbroadcast

WEEKEND REWIND
The Oklahoma volleyball team dropped a tough five-set match to Missouri, 25-19, 18-25, 13-25, 26-24, 17-19, last Sunday in Norman. The Sooners fought back from a five-point deficit in the fourth to send the match to a fifth and final set. In the fifth, the teams traded multiple match points, needing more than 15 to win it. With the match tied at 17-all, Mizzou rattled off two-straight points to take the match.

Alexis Shelton led the way with a match-high 23 kills and added 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. The match was Shelton's fifth 20-kill performance of the season. Lydia Martyn and Kari Geissberger each reached double-digits with 10 kills apiece. Martin had just one error, hitting .562 on the night. Martyn also notched a team-high six kills.

LONE STAR SOONERS
This weekend, five Sooners will be making the trek back to their home state. Payton Chamberlain (Roanoke), Hannah Pfiffner (Frisco), Callie Kemohah (Lucas), Kamille Gibson (Crossroads) and Daleigh Ellison (Aledo) all hail from the Lone Star State. Sunday's match marks the first and only match the Sooners will play in the state of Texas in 2024 as Texas A&M will make the trek to Norman in two weeks.

MILESTONES IN THE MAKING
Senior setter Payton Chamberlain is nearing in on an impressive career milestone. The Roanoke, Texas, native needs just 70 assists to reach the 3,000-career mark. Chamberlain has recorded at least 40 assists in 10 matches this season and could reach the milestone in her next two games. Chamberlain averages 41 assists per match.

Junior outside hitter Alexis Shelton is nearing a milestone of her own, closing in on the 1,000 career kills mark. Shelton currently sits at 952 for her career, needing just 48 to hit the milestone. The senior is averaging 17 kills/match and 4.25 per set on the season. Shelton is coming off a 23-kill performance against Mizzou and has notched double-digit kills in every match this season.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The Sooners played their entire non-conference slate away from the friendly confines on McCasland Field House. Despite being on the road for four straight weekends, the Sooners finished non-conference action 6-2, with their only losses to TCU and UCSB. In SEC play, the Sooners will be on the road for eight of their 16 matches, bringing their total road matches to 16.

WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY
The Sooners defense has been a force to be reckoned with this season, recording at least eight blocks in 15 matches this season. Against Tulsa on Sept. 13, the Sooners put up an impressive 20.0 blocks, the most by a Sooner squad since tallying 19.0 against Kansas State in 2020. OU has recorded at least 7.0 blocks in every match this year and reached the double-digit mark on nine occasions. In conference play the Sooners are second in blocks/set at 2.62, and first in all matches with 2.76 per set.

STATS & RANKINGS
Multiple Sooners are ranked in their respective strengths in conference action. Lydia Martyn continues to rank at the top of the hitting percentage group with a .452 mark in league play. Payton Chamberlain is sixth in assists with 10.10 per set and Hannah Pfiffner has moved into the top 10 in blocks, sitting seventh at 1.29 per set.

THE OPPOSITION
No. 9 TEXAS: The ninth-ranked Longhorns are 12-4 on the year and 7-1 in conference action, with the lone loss coming to Texas A&M in a five-set match on Oct. 23. Texas will take on Missouri Friday night before their matchup with Oklahoma on Sunday. Madison Skinner leads the Longhorns offense with 3.76 kills per set and has added 34 blocks and 81 digs. Averi Carlson and Ella Swindle pace the offense with 342 and 243 assists, respectively. Marianna Singletary leads the defense with 92.0 blocks in 2024.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Sooners will hit the road for a double weekend at Ole Miss and Mississippi State. OU will face Ole Miss in Oxford on Nov. 8 before heading to Starkville to take on Mississippi State on Nov. 10.

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Players Mentioned

Payton Chamberlain

Daleigh Ellison

Kari Geissberger

Kamille Gibson

Callie Kemohah

Lydia Martyn

Hannah Pfiffner

Alexis Shelton

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics