KU Travels To Oklahoma Wednesday
Nov. 8, 2005
NORMAN, Okla. –
KU CONTINUES `GO-VEMBER’ AT OKLAHOMA
Kansas continues its short road stint and looks to improve its Big 12 Conference mark Wednesday at Oklahoma (6-18, 1-14 Big 12). The Jayhawks (13-11, 5-10) are coming off a 3-1 upset at then-ranked #24 Kansas State while OU has dropped its last three matches, including two to top 25 teams.
First serve is set for 7 p.m. at McCasland Field House in Norman. Gametracker and post-match results will be available on Kansas Athletics’ official website, kuathletics.com.
KU PREVIEW
The Jayhawks return nine letterwinners including four starters in 2005. KU is led by senior middle blocker Josi Lima, a three-time All-Big 12 First Team selection who was named Sports Imports/AVCA National and Big 12 Player of the Week on Sept. 19. Postseason award candidates Paula Caten (senior) and Emily Brown (sophomore) are also in the starting six.
Lima averages 3.41 kills (.220 hitting efficiency) and a team-high 0.99 blocks per game. Freshman Savannah Noyes, at 6-3, adds 1.69 kills and 0.76 blocks per game in the other middle blocker spot.
Caten, a 6-3 outside hitter, contributes 3.17 kills per game and Brown, a 6-2 right side hitter, chips in 2.98 kills, 2.38 digs and 0.38 aces per game. Junior Megan Hill has started six matches this season at outside hitter and adds 1.31 kills per game.
Junior libero Jamie Mathewson paces the defense and ranks ninth in the league with 3.40 digs per game.
The Jayhawks are without junior outside hitter Jana Correa, who suffered a season-ending injury against then-ranked #20 Kansas State on Oct. 5. Before the injury, Correa averaged a team-best 3.60 kills to go with 2.29 digs per game in 16 starts.
The Jayhawks are coming off a 3-1 win at then-ranked #24 K-State Saturday, which halted an eight-match losing streak. The skid included five losses to four ranked teams — #14 Texas (Oct. 29), #7 Missouri (Oct. 15), #1 Nebraska (Oct. 8 & 26) and #20 Kansas State (Oct. 5).
THE KU/OU SERIES
Oklahoma leads the all-time series against KU, 38-24. The Jayhawks have claimed the last eight meetings with the Sooners, dating back to the 2001 season. OU’s last win over the Jayhawks was Sept. 22, 2001 (3-1) in Norman.
In meetings in Norman, OU leads the series, 20-9. KU head coach Ray Bechard is 14-1 against the Sooners and Santiago Restrepo is 0-3 against the Jayhawks at the helm of the OU program.
SOONER PREVIEW
Oklahoma (6-18, 1-14) suffered its second loss of the season to Missouri in a 3-0 (30-20, 30-21, 30-28) Tiger win at McCasland Field House Saturday. The Sooners tallied 26 attack errors and hit at a .141 clip while the Tigers, who lead the Big 12 in kills per game, were impressive offensively, recording a .331 hitting percentage in the three-game match. Oklahoma also posted 10 service errors. Sophomore Sarah Weiland (2.40 kpg) was the offensive leader for the night, collecting her first double-double of the season (14 kills, 14 digs).
Junior Eliane Santos, a candidate for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors, leads OU offensively with 3.92 kills and 1.47 blocks per game. Junior Joanna Schmitt, an All-Big 12 selection, adds 3.01 kills and 2.32 digs per game in the defensive effort. Weiland leads the Big 12 with 0.47 service aces per game while as a team, OU ranks fourth in the league (1.49 sapg) behind Texas, Missouri and Kansas.
LAST MEETING — KANSAS 3, OKLAHOMA 2
Josi Lima tied a career high with 21 kills and Andi Rozum recorded her 4,000th career assist as KU came from behind to defeat Oklahoma in five games, 30-28, 23-30, 27-30, 30-14 and 15-13, Sept. 17 at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
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. Emily Brown had 15 kills while adding nine digs, three blocks and two aces. 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.
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.
Match Notes in PDF Format
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