Cyclones Spoil Senior Day
Nov. 17, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
In arguably the most exciting match of the 2007 season, the <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas volleyball team dropped a heart-breaking five-game match to IowaState on senior day Saturday afternoon. After taking a 2-1 lead in the match, the Cyclones rallied back to take the final two games over KU in seniors Emily Brown and Caitlin Mahoney’s final match at the Horejsi Family Athletics center. Kansas dropped to 12-17 on the season 5-14 in conference play, while IowaState improved to 16-12 overall and 10-8 in the Big 12.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Mahoney saved her best performance for last recording new career highs with 13 kills and three assists during the match. The St. Louis, Mo., native also hit at a team-best .480 clip committing just one error in 25 attempts. Brown tied a team-best 15 kills during the match and added 29 assists and 13 digs for her eighth triple-double of the season. The setter/outside hitter also had three service aces. The Jayhawks recorded 13 aces during the match, their best outing from the service line this year.
Jenna Kaiser added double-digit kills with 15, while Natalie Uhart and Savannah Noyes chipped in 11 each.
Defensively, Melissa Manda led the back row effort digging up 24 balls. Karina Garlington and Melissa Grieb also had double figure digs pitching in 12 and 11 digs, respectively.
Kansas used a 16-9 advantage in kills along with five service aces from three players to notch a 30-20 victory in the first game. In game two, ISU returned the favor with a 30-24 win to tie the match at 1-1.
The third contest was a close contest all the way up until game point. IowaState tied the score five times but never could take the lead from KU as the Jayhawks held on to post a 30-25 win.
The fourth game belonged to Kansas until ISU rattled off seven unanswered points to build a four point lead at 26-22, which they held onto en route to its 30-26 victory to tie the match at twp games a piece.
All of the day’s action came to a nail biting culmination in the fifth and final contest. IowaState stole the game’s momentum right before the teams switched sides taking an 8-7 lead into the second half of the game. KU resumed the lead at 12-10 on a 5-1 run after the break but the Cyclones didn’t give up tying the score four times. With the teams locked at 15 points a piece, ISU’s Jen Malcolm ended the match with back-to-back kills.
Kansas has just one more match remaining for the 2007 season. The Jayhawks travel to Lubbock, Texas Wednesday for a 7 p.m. match up with Texas Tech.
