KU Falls to MU 3-2 in Border Showdown

Oct. 16, 2004

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Lawrence, Kan. – Four Jayhawks notched 16 or more kills as the Kansas volleyball team fell to Border Showdown rival Missouri 3-2 Saturday night at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The Jayhawks won game one 30-27, lost the next two 25-30 and 21-30, won game four 30-26 and fell in the final stanza 7-15.

With the loss, KU fell to 11-7 overall and 2-7 in the Big 12 Conference while the Tigers improved to 11-6 and 6-3 in the league. KU still leads the 2004-05 Border Showdown 3.5-2.0.

Sophomore Jana Correa, who missed five matches this season with an injury, paced KU with a match- and season-high 21 kills and added 11 digs. Middle blockers Ashley Michaels (senior) and Josi Lima (junior) each added 17 kills in the loss. Michaels also hit a team-best .400 while Lima added 13 digs and two service aces.

Junior Paula Caten had a career-best 16 kills for a .361 attack percentage. Senior libero Jill Dorsey posted a match-best 19 digs in the defensive effort while freshman Emily Brown added 13 digs to go with her nine kills, six assists and two aces. Junior Andi Rozum dished a match-high 63 assists and season-high 14 digs on the night.

KU was outblocked by MU 15.0 to 2.0 and committed 20 service errors. However, the Jayhawks posted 83 kills against the Tigers (68 kills), who league the league and are among the nation’s leaders in kills per game. Tonight’s match was KU’s third five-game match in its last four outings.

The Jayhawks showed exceptional defense and hitting in games one, two and four, hitting .364, .350 and .500, respectively. KU entered game five with much momentum and tied MU 5-5. The Tigers pulled ahead on a block and two KU hitting errors, leading 9-6. MU then tallied an ace, a block and four kills to end the game and match.

Shen Danru led MU with 18 kills (.333) and added 16 digs. The Tigers hit .328 in the win.

“We had a lot of great stats, except the one we need to win game five,” KU head coach Ray Bechard said. “We were outblocked tonight but outnumbered Missouri in kills and digs. Missouri was extremely efficient and in this environment played very well. We gave a good effort tonight and played extremely hard. We just need to be more disciplined defensively at times. We are looking to Oklahoma now and hope to start another streak there.”

The Jayhawks will next be in action at 6 p.m. Wednesday against Oklahoma in Norman.