The Sooner volleyball team grabbed four wins to start the season at the Mizuno Invitational Tournament over the weekend.

The Sooners found success Saturday with wins over Nicholls State and Central Arkansas. The Sooners held Nicholls State to a .010 hitting percentage, and sophomore Brianne Barker continued to knotch double-doubles, contributing 24 assists and 11 digs. The only set the Sooners dropped all weekend came Saturday night against Central Arkansas, when the Sugar Bears bested OU 20-25.

“After dropping that second set, we just needed to get re-energized,” Coach Santiago Restrepo said. “Central Arkansas is a very good team, and we just needed to get back to being the disciplined team we are.”

The Sooners did bounce back from the set and won the next two. It was a homecoming of sorts for Houston native Suzy Boulavsky, who played in front of her family .

“Suzy worked hard over the summer to get her shoulder going,” Restrepo said. “She has a lot of power and tenacity and her extra work has aided her game tremendously. She’s going to have to continue to do that for us and be a key component for us.”

Besides Barker’s fantastic weekend performance, junior Sarah Freudenrich also came up big for the Sooners, averaging three kills per set after three 10 kill games.

“She was solid all weekend, and we couldn’t be happier with what she’s contributed so far,” Restrepo said. “She’s very powerful and quick in the middle. We’re going to need her to do that throughout the season.”

On Friday, Oklahoma swept both Houston Baptist and host Rice University. Barker had 30 assists, 11 digs and a block solo against Houston Baptist, then stepped up her game against Rice to record 34 assists, 15 digs, four block assists, six kills and a service ace.

“Brianne had an awesome match,” coach Restrepo said Friday. “She distributed the ball very well and had a brilliant game in the back row. She also served very tough. Brianne will have to continue to do that for us to be successful.”

The last time the Sooners had a 4-0 start, it was Restrepo’s first season in Norman. Oklahoma has the week to rest up and prepare for another weekend tournament to prove how much they’ve improved at the Best Western Shocker Classic, hosted by Wichita State.