Volleyball Takes A Set At No. 2 Nebraska, Falls-3-1
LINCOLN, Neb. – Despite falling at No. 2 Nebraska, the Kansas volleyball team became just the fourth team to win a set against Nebraska this season as the Jayhawks notched a 25-22 set three victory. KU lost the match 3-1 by scores of 25-15, 25-19, 22-25, and 25-15.
The Jayhawks fall to 7-5 on the season and 1-2 in Big 12 play, while Nebraska stays undefeated at 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference.
Kansas’ win in set three was its first set win against Nebraska since Oct. 8, 2005, and the Jayhawks first set win in Lincoln in 10 years as KU last picked up a win on the Huskers’ home court on Oct. 24, 1998.
KU’s 25 points in the third set also marked just the seventh time that a team has tallied more than 20 points against Nebraska in 37 sets this season.
“The first set went a little fast for us,” said head coach Ray Bechard. “By the second set we calmed down and gathered enough momentum to win the third set and extend the match. We can obviously take a lot of positives from tonight.”
When the third set rolled around, it looked as if Nebraska would make quick work of the Jayhawks as they defeated KU 25-15 in set one and 25-19 in the second. But a relentless Kansas team rallied back from the two-set deficit to win the third, a feat they have done four times this season.
Early in the third set, the teams tied at points eight, nine and 11 with the Jayhawks coming out with the upper hand each time. Nebraska, who trailed by as much as a six points during the set, nearly overtook the lead rattling off five straight points to lock the teams at 20-20. Soon after the Jayhawks, holding onto a 23-22 edge, used a double block from Savannah Noyes and Natalie Uhart followed by a kill from Noyes to earn KU the 25-23 set three victory.
In the opening set, Noyes and Brittany Williams blocked a Husker attack to knot the score at 4-4 but it was as close as Kansas would get for the remainder of the set. NU reeled off 10 points, interrupted by a Jenna Kaiser kill, to pull out of KU’s reach en route to its 25-15 win.
As set two began, KU stayed within two points. Down 4-6 however, Kansas tallied four unanswered points jumping to a lead at 8-6. Nebraska quickly recovered with four straight points of its own as KU, despite tying the game at 10 and again at 12, could never string together enough points to pull ahead as they fell 25-19.
Sophomore Karina Garlington notched double digit kills for the third consecutive time collecting a team-high 10 kills. Noyes followed with nine on a .263 attack percentage, while Williams added seven kills along with a team-best five blocks.
Junior Melissa Grieb also finished in double figures digging up 11 balls on defense.
Kansas returns home to the Horejsi Family Athletic Center Saturday, Sept. 27 to host No. 3 Texas at 7 p.m.
