KU Looks to Extend Win Streak Against Oklahoma
Sept. 16, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas will look to extend its five-match win streak and wrap up a six-match home stand Saturday when it hosts Oklahoma at 1 p.m. in the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The Jayhawks (9-1, 1-0 Big 12) are a perfect 7-0 at home this season while the Sooners (5-4, 0-1 Big 12) are coming off a 3-0 loss to #22 Kansas State in Norman.
The first 500 fans through the doors will receive a Jayhawk water bottle and all KU Edwards Campus faculty and staff can purchase $2 tickets. Gametracker, live video streaming and post-match results will be available on kuathletics.com.
KU PREVIEW
The Jayhawks, 9-1 overall, return nine letterwinners and five starters in 2005. KU won its first four matches of the season before falling at BYU, 3-1, on Sept. 2, and is riding a five-match win streak dating back to September 6.
Senior middle blocker Josi Lima, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, is the top KU returner, with postseason awards candidates Paula Caten (senior), Jana Correa (junior) and Emily Brown (sophomore) also in the starting six.
Lima leads the KU hitters with 4.09 kills and adds 2.61 digs and 1.21 blocks per game. Correa, a 6-0 outside hitter, is close behind with 3.85 kills per game on a .319 attack percentage while freshman Savannah Noyes, a 6-3 middle blocker, adds 1.94 kills per game at a .304 clip.
Caten, a 6-3 outside hitter, adds 3.27 kills per game and Brown, a 6-2 right side hitter, chips in 2.67 kills and 2.33 digs per game. Junior libero Jamie Mathewson paces the defense with 3.15 digs per game.
The Jayhawks wrapped up non-conference action last week in Lawrence with sweeps of Saint Louis, Virginia Commonwealth, Michigan State and Temple. KU is an impressive 65-8 in regular-season non-league matches since 1998 under head coach Ray Bechard.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Jayhawks have won 12 straight matches at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center, dating back to a 3-2 loss to Missouri on Oct. 16, 2004. In fact, KU has lost just one (vs. Colorado on Nov. 27, 2004) of its 37 games played in the 12-match stretch.
KU has had much success on its home court recently. The Jayhawks are 64-31 overall at Horejsi since its opening on Sept. 1, 1999.
SOONER PREVIEW
The Sooners (5-4, 0-1) are coming off a 3-0 loss to #22 K-State to open their Big 12 season Wednesday night. OU started the season with three straight wins before losses to Alabama (3-0), Rice (3-2) and #19 Notre Dame (3-0) this month.
Oklahoma struggled offensively Wednesday against the Wildcats, tallying a .064 hitting percentage with 31 errors while K-State hit at a .265 clip for the match.
Junior Eliane Santos, a transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, led OU with 14 kills at a .233 clip. Santos was the only Sooner to hit above .100 on the night. Santos first entered the OU lineup a week ago and has pounded double-digit kills in all five matches since.
After missing the last five matches due to an ankle injury, preseason All-Big 12 selection Joanna Schmitt made an appearance in the starting lineup at defensive specialist. The junior, who is usually a starter at outside hitter and leads the team in kills per game, collected five digs.
THE KU/OU SERIES
Oklahoma leads the all-time series against KU, 38-23. The Jayhawks have claimed the last seven meetings with the Sooners, dating back to the 2001 season.
LAST MEETING — KU 3, OKLAHOMA 0
Four Jayhawks notched 10 or more kills as KU swept Oklahoma, 31-29, 30-20 and 30-20, Nov. 6, 2004, at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
Paula Caten led the Jayhawks with 15 kills (.370) while Ashley Michaels followed close behind with 14 kills on a team-best .423 attack percentage. Josi Lima added 11 kills and six digs and Jana Correa rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 kills.
Jill Dorsey totaled a match-high 14 digs with seven other Jayhawks adding at least two in the defensive effort. Andi Rozum dished 54 assists in the win.
KU outhit OU .309 to .184 and did not record a single serve reception error in the match. The Jayhawks also had six aces and three block solos. OU was led by Joanna Schmitt, who had 15 kills.
BECHARD COACHES 1,000TH CAREER MATCH
In addition to a big win over visiting Michigan State on Sept. 10, KU’s Ray Bechard learned later that it marked another important feat — his 1,000th match as a head coach. Bechard compiled a 716-60 mark in 13 seasons at Barton County Community College and is 132-194 in his eight season at KU for a career total of 1,002 matches.
LIMA KILLS COUNTDOWN — 53 TO GO
Josi Lima will leave KU as one of the most prolific players in the program’s history — regardless of what records she takes with her. A four-year starter and Big 12 standout, Lima ranks third on the all-time kills list with 1,253 kills and is just 53 away from the career record (1,306) set by Sarah Rome (2000-03). In addition, Lima could finish her career on top of many blocking charts and in the top five for attack percentage, kills per game and digs.
ROZUM CLOSING IN ON 4,000-MARK, CAREER ASSISTS RECORD
Senior Andi Rozum has been running the Jayhawk offense for the past four seasons and as a result, will leave KU as one of the most successful setters in program history. The 5-10 native of Loveland, Colo., has 3,964 career assists and is just 245 away from the all-time mark set by Julie Woodruff (1988-91).
Despite missing 11 matches to start the 2003 season, Rozum is just 36 away from becoming just the third Jayhawk ever to eclipse the 4,000-assist mark. In addition, Rozum is averaging 12.17 assists per game, which currently tops the all-time career chart.
