Texas outplayed Oklahoma for an easy sweep to remain undefeated in the Big 12 and earn their 10th Big 12 title. The win comes just days before the NCAA Selection Show, that will determine the seeds for the upcoming NCAA Tournament where the Longhorns are looking to claim a top-four seed for the second straight year.
In all categories, the Longhorns outdid the Sooners – Kills (45-32), aces (5-2), blocks (8-2) and assists (35-30). The only category they didn’t lead was in digs, as both teams picked up 25. In addition, Texas hit an impressive .526 while the Sooners only managed a .197 hitting clip.
Micaya White led the way for the Longhorns with 10 kills, while Ebony Nwanebu and Morgan Johnson each added another eight. On the block, Johnson stopped four while White and Ashley Shook blocked three. On defense, Cat McCoy was the only player on the court to record double-digit digs with 10.
Alyssa Enneking posted a match-best 14 kills for the Sooners, while Emma Kelly picked up seven digs.
Press Release
Courtesy of Texas Athletics
No. 2 Texas Volleyball won sole possession of the program’s 10th Big 12 title after sweeping Oklahoma (25-13, 25-15, 25-21) on Wednesday night at Gregory Gym.
Five Longhorns recorded seven or more kills, all hitting .438 or better to post the program’s fifth-highest hitting percentage in a single match at .526.
Junior Morgan Johnson led the way with eight kills on nine swings and no errors for a .889 efficiency, while freshman Lexi Sun was not far behind with seven kills on 10 swings and no errors at .700.
Senior Chiaka Ogbogu posted eight kills on 13 swings with only one error for a .538 efficiency, while senior Ebony Nwanebu finished with eight kills on 16 swings for a .438 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Micaya White led the Longhorns in kills with 10, posting a .318 efficiency on 22 swings.
Freshman Ashley Shook led Texas with 27 assists, while senior Cat McCoy finished with 10 kills and Johnson posted a team-high four blocks.
The Longhorns limited the Sooners to .197 and recorded an 8.0 to 2.0 blocking advantage.
Opening the match in front of a sold-out Gregory Gym, a diving dig from McCoy could not prevent the Longhorns falling behind on the first point before the teams exchanged runs early on. A run of three-consecutive Texas points forced an Oklahoma timeout at 11-8 and the Longhorns conceded five from thereon in, with an Ogbogu block securing the set at 25-13.
Johnson recorded a kill and a block in a 3-0 start for Texas in the second, only for the Sooners to rally early again to tie the set at 5-5. But again, the Longhorns took control, reaching a .768 hitting percentage as an errorless Nwanebu led the team offensively. Nwanebu reached seven kills at 13-9 and Texas grabbed a 25-15 final score for the set to take a 2-0 match score lead.
Playing for a Big 12 title with a sweep, Texas jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the third set before senior Mirta Baselovic entered the match on an Oklahoma timeout. Baselovic soon recorded a kill to make the score 12-7 and Texas maintained the advantage heading towards the final 25-mark.
The Longhorns reached match point at 24-19. Oklahoma saved two points, but with the Gregory Gym crowd rising at 24-21, Ogbogu rose up for a final kill to finish the match, 25-21.
Texas will seek its first undefeated record in conference play and end the regular season at No. 18 Baylor on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. in Waco, Texas.
Texas will learn its postseason route in the 2017 NCAA Tournament Selection Show, Sunday Nov. 26, 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
On the offensive attack: Obviously it was very efficient with only five errors. I thought we managed our game at a high level. You look at that along with our kill production, it was obviously an impressive night.
On senior night: It’s always hard. I’m a coach that usually gets pretty emotional. I’ve got a soft heart underneath there. It will get a little more emotional here in a bit for senior night. But again, we have some more matches. We’re looking to go seven more matches. It’s more of a reflection about where they grew and where they’ve grown up, where they’ve learned some valuable lessons, learned about who they are as young women, and are able to embark on the next part of their life. I think it’s a little bit more challenging nowadays with this generation, just the way club organizations and things are so organized for them growing up. They just haven’t done a whole lot in terms of jobs and figuring that out. This is the first time they are actually going to be stepping out on their own, figuring out who their identity is. These two right here (Ebony Nwanebu and Chiaka Ogbogu) will be easier because they are going to go play professionally. It’s the next phase of their life and we’ll stay connected. One day, hopefully, Ebony (Nwanebu) will listen to me and start Ebb on the Web. I think she’s got an opportunity. They both (Ebony Nwanebu and Chiaka Ogbogu) can do a lot of things outside of volleyball, which is neat and exciting for them. It will be fun to watch their careers. It’s amazing how fast things go by.
Senior Outside Hitter EbonyNwanebu
On winning the championship: It was fun, I’m really happy that we had a sold-out crowd the day before Thanksgiving. I think that environment plus just our teammates made tonight really special. I was bawling my eyes out before the game and I don’t really know why, but they just made it really enjoyable.
On this ride with the other seniors: It has been amazing. We have talked about it how we just feel like everything happens for a reason. It’s so cool that us four get to end our senior year together. We just want to keep going and buy as much time as we can with this team. We are just excited for this next game and in the postseason.
On closing out against Baylor: I think it’s really important because we obviously want to host. I don’t want tonight to be the last time at Gregory, so I think Saturday is a big game.
Press Release
Courtesy of Oklahoma Athletics
The University of Oklahoma volleyball team was swept at No. 2 Texas at Gregory Gymnasium on Wednesday night. The straight-sets loss came by scores of 25-13, 25-15 and 25-21.
The Sooners won a pair of crucial challenges that led to an early lead in the first and a tie midway through the third, but the Longhorns pulled away in each set. For the match, Texas (23-2, 15-0 Big 12) hit a collective .526 with just five errors.
OU junior outside hitter Alyssa Enneking(League City, Texas) led all players with 14 kills on a .400 attack rate. Freshman middle blocker Paige Anderson (McKinney, Texas) was second on the team with seven kills and hit .667 on the night.
Micaya White led the Longhorn attack with 10 kills on a .318 clip with three blocks. Ebony Nwanebu, Morgan Johnson, who played error-free on nine attacks, and Chiaka Ogbogu each added eight kills.
Junior setter Audrey Alford (Norman, Okla.)collected 25 assists and senior defensive specialist Emma Kelly (Houston, Texas) picked up a team-high seven digs. Ashley Shook dished out 27 assists for Texas and Cay McCoy recorded 10 digs.
The Sooners wrap up the 2017 season Saturday, November 25 against TCU at 11 a.m. Admission is free.
Carly DeMarque has been involved with competitive volleyball for the majority of her life, playing competitively at the club and collegiate level for 15 years and coaching club for five.
Now a retired Division I volleyball athlete out of McNeese State University, she continues her volleyball enthusiasm by stepping back into …
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