KU Returns Home Wednesday to Host #20 Sooners
Oct. 24, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas volleyball looks for continued success on its home court Wednesday night when it hosts No. 20 Oklahoma. The Jayhawks (10-10, 3-8 Big 12 Conference), who are 5-3 at home this season, will face the Sooners (17-4, 9-2) at 7 p.m. at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The match will be tape delayed and air locally on Metro Sports Thursday at noon. Live Gametracker and video streaming, a recap and box score for the match can be found here.
About the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks (10-10, 3-8) are averaging 16.13 kills and 14.93 assists per game, which rank third in the Big 12. Senior outside hitter Jana Correa paces a balanced KU offense with 4.18 kills per game — good for seventh in the league — and has recorded 14 or more kills in 16 matches this season. Correa recently became the ninth Jayhawk in school history to record 1,000 kills for her career and currently ranks ninth on the KU all-time list. Junior right side hitter Emily Brown (3.61 kpg), a threat in all six rotations, and sophomore middle blocker Savannah Noyes (3.28 kpg) round out the top KU hitters. Redshirt freshman setter Katie Martincich averages 11.80 assists per game and ranks eighth in the league. KU’s defense features senior libero Jamie Mathewson (3.58 dpg) and four Jayhawks who average 2.41 or more digs per game. KU also gets a boost from rookie middle blocker Brittany Williams, who replaced injured Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Natalie Uhart in the starting lineup.
Scouting the Sooners
After sweeping then-ranked No. 12 Missouri and falling to No. 9 Texas in five games last week, No. 20 Oklahoma (17-4, 9-2) has won eight of its last nine matches and is second behind undefeated Nebraska in the Big 12 standings. Senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt averages a squad-best 4.24 kills per game for an offense that ranks third in the league in hitting percentage (.252) and fourth in kills per game (15.99) behind the Huskers, Longhorns and Jayhawks. Senior middle blockers Laura Tomes (3.16 kills/1.24 blocks per game) and Eliane Santos (2.91 kpg/1.33 bpg) and freshman outside hitter Bridget Laplante (3.15 kpg) pace the OU hitters. Senior libero Anna Monsen leads the team and ranks second in the league with 4.85 digs per game while senior setter Rachel Jackson runs the offense with 13.45 assists per game — second in the league only to Texas’ Michelle Moriarty.
Kansas vs. Oklahoma
The Sooners lead the all-time series against KU, 39-25, and won the teams’ first meeting of the season on Oct. 7. Senior Jana Correa notched her 1,000th career kill as KU fell to then-ranked No. 25 Oklahoma, 21-30, 24-30 and 30-32, at McCasland Field House. Correa, who totaled a team-best 14 kills on the night, got her 1,000th kill in the final stanza of the match. Junior Emily Brown led the Kansas defense with 15 digs and added 13 kills for her seventh double-double of the season. Freshman Brittany Williams and sophomore Savannah Noyes each totaled eight kills in the effort and senior Jamie Mathewson notched nine digs. KU head coach Ray Bechard is 15-2 against OU while Sooner coach Santiago Restrepo is 1-4 versus the Jayhawks.
Jayhawks to Dig For the Cure
On Saturday, Oct. 28, the University of Kansas volleyball team will help the fight against breast cancer in a “Dig for the Cure” match. The Jayhawks will host Texas Tech in a Big 12 Conference contest at 7 p.m. and raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through pledges for digs and other donations. Fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink to show their support for the cause. Volunteers will also be on hand to collect donations and a running total of KU digs will be announced after each game. The Jayhawks have been out collecting pledges for digs and helping raise awareness and recognition for the foundation throughout October — National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
There’s No Place Like Home
The Jayhawks have had much success at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center over the last eight seasons. KU carries a 72-40 (.643) all-time record in Horejsi, including a 5-3 mark in 2006 and 10-6 home record in 2005.
Match Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
