The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
25-2, 15-1Big 12
Oklahoma
12-16, 6-10Big 12
No. 3 Volleyball wins fifth-straight Big 12 title with sweep of Oklahoma
11.27.2015 | Volleyball
Freshman Yaazie Bedart-Ghani posted a career-high seven blocks.
NORMAN, Okla. – No. 3 Texas Volleyball won sole possession of its fifth-straight Big 12 Conference title on Friday with its 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-17) defeat of Oklahoma in Norman.
For seniors Molly McCage, Amy Neal and Kat Brooks, it was their fourth Big 12 title. They are the second senior class in Texas Volleyball history to achieve the feat (Haley Eckerman and Khat Bell in 2014).
It marks the Longhorns' ninth Big 12 title and 22nd conference title overall.
Junior Paulina Prieto Cerame matched her career-high with 21 kills on a .439 hitting percentage, Neal also finishing in the double-digits with 15 kills, hitting .444.
Freshman Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani posted a career-high seven blocks, while junior Chiaka Ogbogu finished with six.
Sophomore Cat McCoy recorded 18 digs, while Neal had 10 and Collins posted 44 assists.
As a team, Texas hit .367 and limited the Sooners to .173.
The first set consisted of 17 ties as neither team led by more than two through the first 40 points of the set. The Longhorns took a two-point lead at 9-7, but the Sooners responded and took a two-point lead at 13-11. The teams traded points until UT went on a 4-0 run behind a Prieto Cerame kill and three blocks from Bedart-Ghani. Oklahoma won back-to-back points, but Texas closed out the set on an Ogbogu kill, 25-22.
In the second set, OU jumped out to a 4-1 lead and maintained it until three-consecutive kills from Neal gave the Longhorns an 8-7 lead. From there, the teams tied four times until Texas executed a 3-0 lead to take a 14-11 advantage. Oklahoma could not recover and the Horns extended their lead with a 7-2 run later in the set to lead, 21-15. Texas closed the set on a 4-1 run to take set two, 25-16 and lead the match, 2-0.
The Longhorns started the third set on a 7-2 run and didn't look back. The Sooners went on a 3-0 run to pull to within five at 14-9, but an Ogbogu kill put an end to it and Texas maintained the lead. Oklahoma struck again, this time with a 3-0 run to pull to within four at 17-13, this time a Neal kill ending it. From there, the Longhorns finished the set, 25-17 and won the match, 3-0.
UT finishes its regular season with a 25-2 record for its 24th season with 25 wins or more.
Texas will learn its postseason fate during the 2015 NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.
