Colorado Drops Five-Game Match To #14 Sooners

Saturday, November 18

Norman, Okla.

6 p.m.

Colorado

Oklahoma

Photo by: CUBuffs.com

November 18, 2006 | Volleyball

By: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID

NORMAN, Okla. ?Mallori Gibson recorded a career-high 24 kills and hit .320, but it was not enough to help Colorado as the Buffs dropped a five-game thriller to No. 14 Oklahoma (22-30, 31-29, 32-30, 24-30, 9-15) in Norman, Okla., on Saturday night. The Buffs fell to 15-10 overall and 11-7 in the Big 12. CU is currently tied with Iowa State for fourth place.

This is the second time CU has fallen to Oklahoma in five games this season. It also marks the first time CU has lost back-to-back matches to the Sooners since 1988.

Ashley Nu'u handed out 65 assists while the Buffs hit .169 on the night with 72 kills on 209 swings. Oklahoma hit .276 with 83 kills on 203 attacks. Nu'u is now just 100 assists away from third on CU's career assists chart with 4,096.

Austin Zimmerman played the final two games for the Buffs and hit a team and match-high .714. She recorded five kills on seven errorless attacks.

Amber Sutherland and Alex Buth each hammered 13 kills in the match. Buth hit .276. Lara Bossow added eight kills and hit .227. Lauren Schaefer and Nu'u each tallied three kills in the effort.

The Buffs and Sooners each picked up 77 digs. Kristen Karlik led the Buffs with 21. It is the sixth time this season she has recorded 20 or more digs in a match. Sutherland and Buth each recorded a double-double, adding 18 and 13 digs, respectively. Bossow notched seven and Nu'u and Webster also picked up six digs.

CU put up 9.0 blocks and was led by Lauren Schaefer with five assists. Nu'u recorded one solo and three assists and Sutherland added four assists. OU recorded 19.0.

The Buffs will host Baylor on Wednesday, Nov. 22, for their final home match of the 2006 season. The match will start at 7 p.m. Fans who bring a can of corn for the food drive, will be admitted to the match for $1. It will be the final home match for four seniors, Ashley and Amber Nu'u, Austin Zimmerman and Lara Bossow.