KU Throws Block Party in Senior Day Win
Nov. 27, 2004
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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Four Jayhawk seniors were honored in their final match at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center as the University of Kansas volleyball team blocked its way to a 3-1 win over Colorado Saturday night. With the win, the Jayhawks finish the regular season 18-11 overall and 9-11 in the Big 12 Conference.
Kansas notched a season-best 18.0 blocks and six Jayhawks recorded five or more kills in the win. The Jayhawks prevailed 30-22, 29-31, 31-29 and 30-19.
Sophomore outside hitter Jana Correa led the Jayhawks with 17 kills on a .432 attack percentage and added three service aces and a solo block. The Buffaloes, who fell to 14-13 overall and 9-11 in the league, were led by Allie Griffin’s 17 kills.
Junior Josi Lima added 16 kills, eight total blocks (a career-best four solo, four block assists) and six digs in the win. Junior Paula Caten added nine kills while freshman Emily Brown had eight kills to go with her nine digs and four block assists.
Andi Rozum led all players with 42 assists and added five kills on a .625 attack percentage (0 errors, eight attempts), 10 digs and six total blocks (two solo).
Four seniors — Jill Dorsey, Ashley Bechard, Ashley Michaels and Lindsey Morris — started the match and finished together with a win. Dorsey had a match-high 20 digs for her sixth 20+ performance of the season and added three assists. Bechard added three assists and the final kill of the match, Michaels had seven kills, six total blocks (two solo) and two digs, and Morris added a career-best four assists to go with three digs.
KU out-blocked CU 18.0 to 3.0 and out-hit the Buffaloes .284 to .171. However, CU outnumbered the Jayhawks in digs (64-54) and kills (67-63).
The seniors, all Kansas natives, and their parents were introduced before the match and then the Jayhawks were given the opportunity to speak to the crowd after the win. The 2004 senior class combined to record 1,800 digs, 1,583 kills, 907 digs and 473 total blocks over the course of their careers.
“We were able to have a great turnaround from our blocking and fought really hard tonight,” KU head coach Ray Bechard said. “We talked about the importance of our blocking at our very first practice of the season and I am very proud of this achievement tonight. Colorado played well, but we dominated at the net and had our seniors behind us.”
“We have been playing our best volleyball in the past three matches and I hope this can secure us a spot in the postseason,” Bechard added. “We are one of a few quality teams that finished 9-11 in their league and have won five of our last seven. I think we are playing like a top-20 team right now and look forward to continuing our season next week.”
KU will await its postseason fate as NCAA Tournament bids will be announced beginning at 5:40 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 28) on ESPNEWS. Last season, Kansas was one of six Big 12 teams to received a bid.
