PROVO, Utah — No. 10 BYU women’s volleyball heads to Norman this weekend for its third consecutive conference road match, facing Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. CDT.
No. 10 BYU @ Oklahoma
- Saturday, Oct. 7 | 2 p.m. CDT
- Sooner Vision on ESPN+
- Stat Broadcast
The Cougars dropped a spot to No. 10 in this week’s AVCA poll, marking 158-straight polls that BYU has been ranked in the Top 25 and 149-consecutive weeks inside the top 18.
Taking both opening sets off of then-No. 10 Texas last week, the Cougars eventually fell in four in back-to-back matchups to the reigning national champions.
Despite the losses, senior setter Whitney Bower made BYU history in the Cougars’ second match against the Longhorns, becoming the program’s rally scoring era career assist leader near the end of the first set. Bower now has recorded 4,076 assists during her five-year career.
Bower also posted her fifth double-double of the season in the match with 30 assists and a career-high 10 kills. Outside hitter Eden Bower tied a career-high in game two with 13 kills, as did middle blocker Whitney McEwan-Llarenas in game one, with 10.
BYU ranks seventh nationally in both blocks per set (2.91) and opponent hitting percentage (.145), and eight in total blocks (163). The Cougars lead the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage, and are second in total blocks and total service aces (89).
Middle blockers Mia Lee (1.32) and Whitney McEwan-Llarenas (1.24) rank No. 32 and No. 50 respectively in blocks per set. BYU’s defensive duo also sits at No. 36 and No. 46 in total blocks with 70 and 68, respectively.
Both looking to snap losing streaks on Saturday afternoon, the Cougars and Sooners get set for their eighth matchup all-time and first since 2013.
Oklahoma (6-7, 0-4 Big 12)
- The Sooners dropped two matches at UCF last week after falling to Texas twice to open league play.
- Oklahoma's six wins includes victories over UCLA, Illinois, Boise State and former WCC foe Gonzaga.
- Former LMU head coach Aaron Mansfield is now at the helm in Norman. He has a 99-75 (.569) career record.
- BYU leads the all-time series, 5-2. The Cougars are 1-0 when visiting the Sooners in Oklahoma.