Kansas To Play Second-Straight Ranked Foe Saturday

Oct. 8, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Kansas vs. #14 Iowa State Game Notes

Kansas volleyball returns home Saturday, Oct. 10 from a two-match road swing to play its second-straight top 15 team in No. 14 Iowa State. Match time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Fans who bring their ticket stub from the Kansas-Iowa State football game, which starts at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, can get into the volleyball match for $3.

Fans follow live stats via Gametracker and watch live video (for a fee) on the KU Athletics website at www.KUAthletics.com.

About Kansas

After suffering a loss at No. 9 Nebraska on Wednesday, Kansas is riding its longest losing streak of the season at two matches. With an overall record of 9-6 and a 2-4 Big 12 mark, the Jayhawk offense is guided by sophomore setter Nicole Tate, whose 10.87 aps rank third in the Big 12 and 23rd in the nation. Junior Karina Garlington averages the league’s fourth-most kills with 3.76 kps followed by sophomore Allison Mayfield’s 3.30 kps (eighth in the Big 12). Senior Paige Mazour is the Big 12’s seventh-most accurate attacker with a .350 hitting percentage. Defensively, junior Melissa Manda leads KU with 4.22 dps, which ranks sixth in the league. Tayler Tolefree is also key to the Kansas defense blocking 1.14 balls per set. She is the only freshman listed in the league’s top 10 blockers, coming in at No. 5.

Scouting Iowa State

Statistically one of the best teams in the Big 12, No. 14 Iowa State is 13-3 overall (5-2 in the Big 12) and riding a four-match winning streak. All three of the Cyclones’ losses have been on the road against ranked teams- at No. 13 Minnesota, at No. 2 Texas and at No. 24 Baylor. ISU leads the Big 12 in kills, assists and digs, and is second in blocks. Junior Victoria Henson is one of two players in the league averaging over four kills per set as she has 4.27 kps and 4.68 kps in conference-only action. Senior Kaylee Manns leads the conference with 12.23 aps while junior Ashley Mass boasts a Big 12-leading 5.25 dps. The Cyclones are guided by fifth-year head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, who is 78-53 at Iowa State.

Series Info: Iowa State leads KU with a 39-34 all-time record, but KU holds the edge in Lawrence leading the series 16-12. From September of 2000 to October of 2004 the Jayhawks were a perfect 10-0 against the Cyclones. Last season, KU made a huge come-from-behind victory versus ISU in Lawrence, battling back from a two-set deficit to win 3-2. KU won nine-straight home matches versus the Cyclones from 1996-2004.

Bechard Approaching Milestone

Kansas head coach Ray Bechard is just one win shy of hitting 900 career victories. Bechard, who is in his 12th season at KU, is 899-226 (.801 percent) in his 25th season as a head coach. He spent 13 seasons at Barton County Community College prior to coming to Kansas, where he accumulated a 716-60 mark at the school.

Tickets

Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets to KU home matches by phone at 800-34-HAWKS, online at KUAthletics.com or at the doors of the Horejsi Family Athletics Center prior to match time.

Up Next

Kansas takes on its third-straight top 15 foe on Wednesday, Oct. 14 versus No. 2 Texas. The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The Jayhawks then travel to in-state rival Kansas State on Oct. 17.