No. 2 Huskers Host No. 22 Sooners

No. 2 Nebraska (24-1, 16-1 Big 12)
vs. No. 22 Oklahoma (20-7, 12-5 Big 12)

Toys for Tots Night

Sat., Nov. 17 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m.

Television: None

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com

Video: HuskersNside

Live Stats: Huskers.com

Following a pair of road wins, the Nebraska volleyball team returns to the cozy confines of the Nebraska Coliseum, as the Huskers host No. 22 Oklahoma Saturday at 7 p.m. The match between the second-ranked Huskers will mark the 103rd consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum. It will be heard across the state on the Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com. Live stats will be available with a live video feed carried on HuskersNside.

Saturday’s volleyball match will cap a busy day in Husker athletics, as both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will be in action earlier in the day. At all three events on Saturday, members of the U.S. Marine Corps will be collecting toys and monetary donations for Toys for Tots.

The No. 2 Huskers (24-1, 16-1 Big 12) collected their third straight sweep with a 30-26, 30-23, 30-22 victory at Texas A&M Wednesday night. The Huskers matched a season high by totaling nine aces, including four by Jordan Larson and two each from Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling. Pavan led the Husker attack with a match-high 20 kills on .350 hitting and 10 digs. Nebraska held Texas A&M to .099 hitting - the lowest percentage by a Husker opponent since late September.

Oklahoma (20-7, 12-5 Big 12) is in a battle with Kansas State for third place in the Big 12 after pulling out a five-game win against Baylor on Wednesday night. The Sooners, who have posted consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 1987-88, were led by Mariana Blum’s 19 kills and match-high 24 digs. Francie Ekwerekwu added 17 kills on .519 hitting in the victory, as OU improved to 6-2 in five-game matches during Big 12 play.

NU Volleyball Quick Hits
?-The Huskers have held their last three opponents to a combined .121 hitting, including .099 by Texas A&M - the lowest by the the Aggies all year - on Wednesday.

?-With 1,909 kills, Sarah Pavan ranks fifth all-time among Big 12 players, trailing only Elisha Polk (2,272), Mira Topic (2,116), Laura Jones (2,064) and Kelly Johnson (1,925).

?-Jordan Larson is 22 digs away from becoming the third Husker to reach both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career.

?-Nebraska tied K-State for the conference high with seven academic All-Big 12 selections. All seven of NU’s players were first-team picks.

Scouting Oklahoma
Head Coach Santiago Restrepo (67-52 in four seasons at OU) has the Sooners poised for another NCAA Tournament run in 2007. Despite losing five starters from a team that went 28-6 and finished second in the Big 12, Oklahoma has secured its second straight 20-win season with a 20-7 mark entering Saturday. The Sooners are nipping on KSU’s heels for third place in the Big 12 with a 12-5 mark, one half match behind the Wildcats.

The Sooners, who were tabbed to finish ninth in the league by the Big 12 coaches, have been solid across the board. They have shown their toughness in five-game matches, where they own a 6-2 record, including wins at Texas A&M and Kansas State.

Senior Mariana Blum leads a balanced Oklahoma attack in kills (3.49) and is second in digs (3.24), as the Sooners feature five players averaging at least 2.49 kills per game. Senior setter Julie Chester guides the OU attack, averaging 12.63 assists to rank fourth in the league in assists.

NU leads the all-time series, 67-6, and has won the last 20 meetings dating back to 1997. This is the third straight meeting - and only the fifth time ever - where both teams have been ranked at game time.

Last Time vs. Oklahoma
Behind a sterling performance from outside hitter Christina Houghtelling, No. 1 Nebraska earned a three-game sweep of No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13, winning by scores of 30-25, 30-21, 30-25.

Houghtelling recorded her third straight double-double with 14 kills on a season-best .609 hitting and 19 digs. The .609 hitting was Houghtellling’s highest hitting percentage since hitting .615 against Florida in the 2005 NCAA Omaha Regional.

Rachel Holloway nearly recorded a double-double of her own with 49 assists and eight digs, while helping NU hit .350 or better in the final two games.

Sarah Pavan led NU with 16 kills, while Jordan Larson totaled 10 kills and eight digs as the Huskers became the first team to win in Norman since September of 2006.

Toys for Tots Collection Set for Saturday
The Nebraska volleyball program will participate in the annual Toys for Tots drive against Oklahoma. Fans coming to the match are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped present to donate at the doors. Members of the U.S. Marine Corps will be on hand to collect the toy and cash donations for children in the Lincoln area.

Worth Noting
?-Nebraska, Dayton and Florida are the only teams in the country with one loss heading into the final two weeks of the season.

?-The Huskers have reached the 20-win plateau for the 33rd consecutive season. The next longest active streak of 20-win seasons by a Big 12 school is four by Texas (2004-07).

?-The Huskers will be aiming to reach 25 wins for the 15th consecutive season against Oklahoma. NU has reached 25 wins in 31 of the past 32 years.

?-The Huskers have won their last 68 home matches dating back to the 2004 campaign. The win streak is the third longest in NCAA history.

?-Nebraska has won its last 44 Big 12 matches at the NU Coliseum dating back to the 2003 season.

?-Nebraska has won 21 of its last 22 matches against ranked foes going back to the start of the 2006 season. The Huskers are 84-12 (.875) against ranked teams under John Cook.

?-The Huskers are 79-3 (.963) in their last 82 Big 12 Conference matches dating back to the 2003 season.

?-Nebraska has a 120-6 (.952) record since the start of the 2004 season.

?-Nebraska is 189-17 (.917) in November since 1983 and has not lost more than one match in the month since 1993.

?-Nebraska’s defense has been balanced in recent matches. With 19 digs at Iowa State, Kayla Banwarth became the fourth different person to lead NU in digs over the last six contests. She joined Christina Houghtelling, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz in pacing NU in digs in that stretch.

?-Nebraska is 13-11 all-time when a player totals at least 30 kills, and the win at Kansas State on Nov. 3, marked the first time since 1998 when the Huskers won a match after a player totaled 30 kills. It snapped a four-match losing streak dating back to 1999.

?-Sarah Pavan’s 31-kill night at KSU was also the 25th time a player had reached 30 kills in a match, as two Huskers (Janet Kruse and Eileen Shannon) both totaled 32 kills in a win against Kentucky in 1989.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-4, Sr., Denver, Colo. - Two-year captain who earned second-team AVCA All-America honors in 2006. Stalls leads the Big 12 and ranks third nationally in hitting percentage (.441), averaging 2.67 kills and 1.11 blocks per game. She has been in double figures in kills in four of the last nine matches, including a 15-kill, nine-block performance at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3. She hit .480 on 25 swings against the Wildcats in reaching double figures in kills for the sixth time this season. Stalls led the team in kills against No. 11 Hawaii with 13 kills on 23 swings and a pair of blocks on Oct. 21. She enjoyed one of her best matches at Missouri on Oct. 17, totaling 15 kills on .737 hitting and six blocks. Stalls had 10 kills on .600 hitting and five stuffs vs. Texas Tech on Sept. 15. She totaled seven kills on .462 hitting and three blocks in a sweep of No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12. She was named to the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament team, averaging 3.00 kills per game on .654 hitting. Stalls hit over .600 in both matches, including a season-best .692 (9-0-13) against New Mexico State. She had 16 kills on .640 hitting and four blocks in a win over No. 5 UCLA to earn a spot on the AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team. Stalls averaged 2.67 kills and 1.41 blocks per game in 2006, leading the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.400). Stalls spent part of the summer with the USA National Team, playing in the Pan America Cup and averaging 2.25 kills per game while hitting .615.

MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, So., Amarillo, Texas - Two-year starter who has enjoyed a breakout 2007 campaign. Cooper is fifth in the league in hitting percentage (.365), averaging 2.43 kills and 1.03 blocks per game. Cooper has been in double figures six times and had a career-high 14 kills on .385 hitting against Missouri on Oct. 31. She totaled 11 kills on .688 hitting and a season-high seven blocks against No. 17 Kansas State on Oct. 3. Her previous season high in kills came with 12 on .706 hitting and four blocks against Baylor on Sept. 29. Cooper had 11 kills and five blocks at Texas Tech on Sept. 15, and drilled nine kills on .692 hitting with three stuffs versus No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12. She totaled 10 kills on .350 hitting in a sweep of Penn State and hit .625 on eight swings against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3. She sparked NU to a win over UCLA in the AVCA Showcase with 10 kills on .526 hitting and four blocks. Cooper was one of two freshmen starters in 2006, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per game in 30 matches.

L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, Fr., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth had been used as NU’s defensive specialist until moving into the starting lineup for the first time at Iowa State on Nov. 11. She totaled career highs in both digs (19) and assists (5) against the Cyclones, helping the Huskers limit ISU to .135 hitting. Banwarth totaled 11 digs and three assists at Texas A&M on Nov. 14, and has appeared in 12 matches, averaging 1.77 digs and 0.17 service aces per game. She was a three-time all-state selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection last year.

-or - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Jr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz has been the Huskers’ starting libero for 22 matches. She ranks ninth in the Big 12 with 3.90 digs per game, setting a career high with 21 digs against Missouri on Oct. 31. Prior to that, her previous high was 17 digs against fifth-ranked UCLA on Aug. 25, and against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3. Schwartz has been in double figures in digs in 14 of her last 16 matches, including 16 digs and a pair of aces at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3, and 15 digs against No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13. She had a 16-dig effort against Texas A&M on Sept. 22. Schwartz totaled 10 digs and matched her career high with three service aces at Texas Tech on Sept. 15. Schwartz started 29 matches as NU’s defensive specialist in 2006, averaging 2.41 digs, 0.23 aces and 0.30 assists per game.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, Sr., Kitchener, Ontario - Pavan is a three-time, first-team AVCA All-American and reigning Honda-Broderick Cup winner. She is on pace to become just the fourth player in NCAA history to be a four-time first-team All-American. This season, Pavan averages 4.99 kills, 1.96 digs and 0.45 service aces per game, ranking first in the Big 12 in kills, aces and points per game (5.75). Pavan has six double-doubles, including four in her last five contests, including 20 kills and 10 digs at Texas A&M on Nov. 14. She was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 5, averaging 5.30 kills on .363 hitting, 2.40 digs and 5.95 points per game in a pair of wins. Pavan had 31 kills - the most by a Husker since 2004 - and 10 digs in NU’s comeback at K-State on Nov. 3. She totaled a match-high 22 kills and 14 digs against Missouri on Oct. 31. Pavan became NU’s all-time kills leader against Kansas on Oct. 20, as she totaled 17 kills on .406 hitting against the Jayhawks. Pavan totaled a match-high 18 kills on .516 hitting and four blocks at Missouri on Oct. 13. She totaled a match-high 16 kills on .351 hitting and two blocks against No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13. Pavan led NU with 18 kills on .361 hitting and nine digs in a sweep of Iowa State on Oct. 10. She totaled a match-high 16 kills on .364 hitting and five blocks in NU’s sweep of No. 17 Kansas State on Oct. 3. Pavan collected her second double-double of the year against Texas A&M on Sept. 22, totaling 12 kills and 10 digs. She led NU to a sweep of No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12, delivering a team-high 17 kills on .520 hitting. Pavan was selected as the MVP of both the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. She was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Aug. 27, totaling 39 kills on .385 hitting in a pair of wins. Pavan tallied a match-high 25 kills, 12 digs and three blocks in a win over No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. She was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2006, leading the Big 12 in kills (5.10) and points per game (5.98), while hitting .313 on the season. She also carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry and was recognized as the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for all sports at the Division I level for the 2006-07 year. Pavan declined an opportunity to play with the Canadian team this summer to take an upper-level chemistry class so she can graduate in May. She made her Canadian National Team debut at age 16.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Jr., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is a returning first-team AVCA All-American and one of the nation’s premier outside hitters. She averages 3.49 kills, 3.40 digs and 0.45 service aces per game, ranking first in the league in aces, ninth in points per game (4.33) and 10th in kills. Larson, who has 10 double-doubles this year, totaled 11 kills and four aces at Texas A&M on Nov. 14. She had one of her best matches of the year against Colorado on Nov. 7 with 17 kills and 17 digs while hitting .414. Larson went over the 1,000-kill plateau for her career against Missouri with a season-high 17 kills and 16 digs on Oct. 31. She was named the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 22, after leading NU with 18 digs against Missouri on Oct. 17 and 15 digs versus No. 11 Hawaii on Oct. 21. Larson has a team-high nine double-doubles, including 13 kills, 14 digs, five blocks and three aces at Colorado on Oct. 6. She had 17 kills, 11 digs and three aces at KU on Sept. 26, and a 15-kill, 10-dig effort against Texas A&M on Sept. 22. She earned all-tourney honors at the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. Larson recorded a season-high 16 kills and 14 digs against No. 11 Duke on Sept. 7. Larson had 11 kills, 15 digs and a season-high five blocks against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. Last year, she averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per game and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in both categories. Larson had 19 kills on .378 hitting and 15 digs in the win over No. 2 Stanford in the NCAA title match. She was also the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Gainesville Regional with 3.62 kills, 3.25 digs and 0.50 aces per game.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling: 6-2, Sr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling has returned to her 2005 form after missing all of last season following shoulder surgery. She leads all Big 12 outside hitters in digs (3.99 dpg), while averaging 3.21 kills per game on .315 hitting. She is second on the team with eight double-doubles, as she totaled 11 kills and 16 digs against Colorado on Nov. 7. Houghtelling finished with 14 kills and 22 digs against Missouri on Oct. 17. She totaled a career-high 26 digs, four blocks and seven kills in NU’s win at Kansas State on Nov. 3. Houghtelling also had 14 kills and a match-high 19 digs at No. 25 Oklahoma on Oct. 13. She totaled a season-best 19 kills on .410 hitting and 11 digs in a sweep at Colorado on Oct. 6. Houghtelling was the MVP of the Ameritas Players Challenge, hitting .535 and averaging 4.17 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.67 blocks per game. She recorded a then-season high 15 kills on .519 hitting and nine digs in the sweep of New Mexico State. Houghtelling had 12 kills and hit .379 against No. 17 Cal Poly. She topped NU in digs in both matches at the AVCA Showcase en route to Big 12 Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors, highlighted by a career-best 23 digs against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. She was the 2005 AVCA Player of the Year, averaging 3.69 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.03 blocks per game in helping the Huskers to 33 wins and an NCAA finals appearance. She also was a first-team academic All-American who carries a 3.90 GPA entering her final college semester.

S - #12 Rachel Holloway: 5-10, So., Franklin, Tenn. - Holloway guides one of the most prolific offensive attacks in college volleyball, piloting an offense that leads the country in kills and assists per game and ranks third in hitting percentage. The second-team All-American in 2006 is seventh nationally in assists per game (13.88) and also averages 2.29 digs and 1.00 kills per game. Nebraska has hit .300 or better 19 times in 24 matches, including .400 or better on four occasions. Holloway enjoyed one of her best matches of the year, dishing out 39 assists and matching her season best with seven kills on nine swings in a sweep of Iowa State on Nov. 11. She turned in an exceptional effort at No. 12 Kansas State on Nov. 3, totaling a career-high 72 assists, six blocks and 13 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. It came on the heels of a 64-assist, 13-dig, seven-kill performance against Missouri on Oct. 31. Holloway totaled 55 assists - the most in a three-game match by a Husker since 1998 - in guiding NU to a .458 hitting percentage at Missouri on Oct. 17. Holloway totaled 50 assists and three blocks in NU’s sweep of Colorado on Oct. 6, and had 43 assists and eight digs against No. 17 K-State on Oct. 3. She totaled 39 assists, three aces and six digs against Baylor on Sept. 29, as Nebraska hit .500 as a team. She played one of the best matches of her career vs. No. 7 Texas on Sept. 11, dishing out 39 assists, as NU hit .400 as a team while adding six kills and six digs. She also had double-doubles against Creighton (35 assist and 12 digs) and No. 5 UCLA (61 assists and 16 digs). Holloway was a third-team All-American in 2006, averaging 13.43 assists, 2.49 digs and 1.11 kills per game, finishing 11th nationally in assists. Holloway became only the second freshman in NCAA history to be a starting setter for a title team.

Last Match: Larson, Huskers Sweep A&M
Jordan Larson had four of the Huskers’ season-high nine service aces, leading second-ranked Nebraska to a 30-26, 30-23, 30-22 sweep at Texas A&M at G. Rollie White Coliseum. Larson matched her season best with four aces, as the Huskers improved to 24-1 on the season and 16-1 in the Big 12. Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling also added two aces, as NU tied its season high in aces for the third time this year.

Pavan led the Huskers with her third double-double in four matches, leading NU with 20 kills on .350 hitting, 10 digs and a pair of blocks. Jordan Larson totaled 11 kills and a pair of stuffs, as Nebraska held the Aggies (18-10, 7-10 Big 12) to .099 hitting and totaled 10.5 blocks, including four by Tracy Stalls and three by both Houghtelling and Kori Cooper.