KU Volleyball Hosts Baylor On Senior Night

Nov. 25, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Game Notes

Kansas volleyball will make its final home appearance of the 2008 season when they welcome Baylor to the Horejsi Family Athletics Center Wednesday, Nov. 26. The Jayhawks, who will honor seniors Savannah Noyes and Natalie Uhart following the match, will battle the Bears at 7 p.m.

Fans can get free caramel popcorn at the match while supplies last.

Free live stats for the contest are available on the Kansas Athletics website at www.kuathletics.com. In addition, fans can access live video streaming on the website for a fee.

About Kansas

Kansas volleyball enters Wednesday’s contest on a season-high three-match losing skid after suffering a 3-0 setback at then-No. 4 Texas last Saturday. At 12-15 overall and 6-12 in the Big 12, Kansas is led by sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington in league matches, who is sixth in the Big 12 with 3.48 kps, and is currently ranked ninth on KU’s single-season records list. Senior middle blocker Savannah Noyes has been KU’s most accurate attacker with a team-high .268 hitting percentage on the season and the league’s tenth best clip at .305 in conference action. Setting up the Kansas offense has been freshman Nicole Tate. Tate is fifth in the Big 12 rankings with 9.77 aps. Defensively, sophomore libero Melissa Manda is ninth in the conference digging up 3.35 balls per set, while three more Jayhawks contribute over two digs per set.

Head coach Ray Bechard is in his 11th season as head coach of the Jayhawks with a 173-159 overall record.

Scouting Baylor

Baylor, one of three teams tied for fourth in the Big 12 standings, is coming off back-to-back five-set wins and brings an 18-11 overall record and 9-9 mark in conference play to Lawrence. During Big 12 play the Bears have been led by junior outside hitter Katie Sanders who has the eighth-best kills per set average in the league at 3.40. Junior middle blocker Anna Breyfogle also ranks eighth with a .317 attack percentage and leads the Big 12 in conference matches with 1.37 bps, while junior setter Taylor Barnes paces the league with 0.49 aces per set. In the back court, freshman Allison King is digging up just under four balls per set, eighth in the conference rankings.

Texas is coached by Jim Barnes, who is 77-79 in his fifth year as head coach of the Bears.

Series History

Kansas trails the all-time series with Baylor, 18-10. Baylor holds a 15-9 edge over the Jayhawks in Big 12 play, but the Jayhawks own a 7-5 advantage in Lawrence. KU, who has lost its last three contests with BU, was last victorious against the Bears in the Horejsi Center on Oct. 14, 2006.

Senior Night Notable

Kansas last won on senior night in 2004 when the Jayhawks took down Colorado in four sets.

Up Next

The Jayhawks will play their last game of the regular season when they head to Iowa State on Saturday, Nov. 29 for a 6:30 p.m. match.

Natalie Uhart

Savannah Noyes