Errors Doom KU in 3-0 Loss at Baylor

Nov. 15, 2006

Box Score

WACO, Texas –

Kansas volleyball lost a three-game match to Baylor Wednesday night, 15-30, 18-30 and 24-30, in Big 12 Conference action at the Ferrell Center. The Bears avenged a 3-0 loss to the Jayhawks (10-16, 3-14) earlier in the season in <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Lawrence and improved to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in league play.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

The Jayhawks were led by sophomore Savannah Noyes, who totaled 10 kills. Senior Jana Correa chipped in six kills and nine digs while junior Caitlin Mahoney added three kills. Redshirt freshman Katie Martincich dished 23 assists, nine digs and four kills in the loss.

Freshman Melissa Grieb contributed a match-high 11 digs and two of the Jayhawks’ three aces while seniors Jamie Mathewson and Dani Wittman each added eight digs in the effort. KU was without starter and team captain Emily Brown, who was injured earlier in the week in practice. The junior right side hitter/setter had previously started all 86 matches of her career.

For the match, KU hit a season-low .010 and was outblocked by Baylor, 10-2. Freshman Katie Sanders led Baylor with a match-best 13 kills as the Bears swung at a .324 clip.

The Bears took an 11-6 lead after six unanswered points in Game One. The Jayhawk offense could not catch momentum, committing 11 errors and notching seven kills in 34 attempts for a -.118 hitting efficiency. Noyes paced KU at the net with three kills on eight swings and Grieb led the defense with seven digs. BU totaled 13 kills and three errors for a .270 clip and put up five blocks.

In the second game, KU led 8-7 after a Baylor ball handling error. The Bears took the lead after two straight KU hitting mistakes, but the Jayhawks remained close until an 8-0 Baylor run. A kill from Noyes stopped the BU tear at the 22-11 mark, but the deficit was too much to recover from. Noyes pounded four of the Jayhawks’ eight kills, but KU committed nine errors for a -.034 hitting efficiency. BU hit .467 with 17 kills and three errors on 30 tries.

The Jayhawks showed promise in Game Three, trailing by just a few points for the majority of the stanza. Two straight hitting errors by the Bears forced their first timeout with BU leading, 25-23. Off-target passes and late mistakes kept KU behind and unable to take advantage of the Bears’ errors. The KU offense improved in the final game and totaled 12 kills and six errors in 36 attempts (.167).

Kansas returns to the friendly confines of the HorejsiFamilyAthleticsCenter Saturday to host Border Showdown rival Missouri. MU and KU are currently tied 4-4 in the 2006-07 Border Showdown standings. Match time in Lawrence is set for 7 p.m.

-KU-