Home Opener On Tap

9/16/2015 2:32:00 PM

Mikayla Bangasser

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UCO FINALLY HOME: No. 19-ranked Central Oklahoma makes its first home appearance of the season Friday when the Bronchos host a pair of intrastate rivals at Hamilton Field House.

UCO, 8-1 on the season, takes on Southeastern Oklahoma (2-7) at 2 p.m. and goes against Northwestern Oklahoma (2-7) at 5 p.m.

The Bronchos will be home again Saturday, playing Southwestern Oklahoma at 7 p.m. in a contest added to the schedule this week after Bacone cancelled a Sept. 26 match in Edmond.

UCO AT HOME: UCO takes a five-match Hamilton Field House winning streak into Friday's home opener. The Bronchos have a 231-88 record in the facility, including an 11-3 mark last season.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO made its first-ever appearance in the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II rankings this week, coming in No. 19.

The Bronchos were just out of the top 25 last week and moved up after going 3-1 in the Florida Southern Classic, highlighted by a three-set sweep of then-No. 25 West Texas A&M.

UCO lost its first match of the season in that two-day event, a four-set setback to tournament host and No. 9 Florida Southern.

The Bronchos have dropped just two sets in their eight wins, having scored six sweeps.

Seniors Barbara Jackson and Whitney Gifford were named to the all-tournament team last weekend.

Jackson, a returning first-team All-American and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player of the Year last season, has collected a team-high 102 kills to go with 61 digs, 13 blocks and six service aces.

Freshman Taylor Bevis has 92 kills with a .341 attack percentage, while junior Allison Barr is hitting a team-high .386 with 65 kills and freshman Jordan Spence .378 with 62 kills.

Junior Katy Davis is averaging 11.0 assists a set with 330 on the season and Gifford has a team-high 161 digs, averaging 5.37 a set.

UCO is hitting .292 as a team.

ABOUT THE SAVAGE STORM: SOSU, a member of the Great American Conference, is off to a 2-7 start.

The Savage Storm are paced by Abby Jameson (121 kills, 70 digs), Julia Benford (79 kills, 22 blocks) and Arianna Baker (46 kills, 19 blocks).

The Bronchos have dominated the series, leading 27-2. The two rivals have met every year since 1998 and UCO has won the last five meetings.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: NWOSU is also a GAC member and off to a 2-7 start.

The Rangers are led by Nora To'omalatai (115 kills, 63 digs), Asia Pipkin (75 kills, 83 digs) and Ashanti Banks (62 kills, eight blocks).

The Bronchos lead the series 3-0, with all three meetings coming during the 2013 season.

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