Jayhawks Defeat Sooners, 3-2
Sept. 17, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Josi Lima tied a career high with 21 kills and Andi Rozum recorded her 4,000th career assist as the University of Kansas volleyball team came from behind to defeat Oklahoma in five games, 30-28, 23-30, 27-30, 30-14 and 15-13, Saturday afternoon at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. With the win, the Jayhawks improved to 10-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference while the Sooners moved to 5-5 and 0-2 on league play.
“As much as you try to tell your team about how every Big 12 opponent is worthy of our best effort, you need something like that to truly believe it,” head coach Ray Bechard said. “We turned it around big time in game four — that carried us into game five. Teams that play aggressive in game five win game five. I want to applaud Oklahoma and their staff on the effort and energy they gave. We will be a better team having played in a game five and we are pleased to be 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference.”
The win, which ends a six-game home stand, is KU’s sixth straight. The Jayhawks have won 13 straight matches at home, dating back to a 3-2 loss to Missouri on Oct. 16, 2004.
After winning game one narrowly, Oklahoma controlled the second stanza from the start and closed the game with a 9-4 run. KU took a 13-7 lead after the break, but committed 10 hitting errors in game three and fell, 30-27. The Jayhawk rallied to win game four easily behind a .696 attack percentage and held the Sooners hitters to a .030 clip.
KU held the lead in game five and took advantage of OU attack errors, closing the game and match on a kill by sophomore Emily Brown.
Lima led all hitters with 21 kills for the third time in her career and second of the season, and hit .395 with a match-best 11 digs in the win. Brown had a career-best 15 kills while adding nine digs, three blocks and two aces. Junior Jana Correa rounded out the double-digit performers with 14 kills and had 10 digs in the defensive effort.
With her 56 assists, Rozum became just the third Jayhawk in school history to record 4,000 career assists. She now has 4,020 for her career and is just 189 away from the all-time school record.
“This is a young lady who has been a four-year starter, who’s shown unbelievable discipline, work ethic and leadership,” Bechard said. “She might pass a lot more people before she’s done with her career. 4,000 is a lot of assists — I think all the hitters probably ought to take her out to dinner.”
Four Sooners notched 10 or more kills while Rachel Jackson led the defense with 10 digs in the effort. Eliane Santos had 19 kills on a .282 attack percentage to lead OU.
KU will hit the road for the first time since Sept. 1 when it travels to No. 18 Texas on Wednesday. Match time in Austin is set for 6:30 p.m.
To listen to Coach Bechard’s post-game message, call 785-864-7023.
– KU –
