MATCH PREVIEW: vs. No. 2 Baylor
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas returns to Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena to host No. 2 Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcast on Big 12 Now / ESPN+.
The Jayhawks closed non-conference play last weekend at the Rebel Challenge against Arizona State and UNLV. KU concluded the weekend with senior Ashley Smith leading the attack, registering a team-high 21 kills (3.00 per set). Sophomore Rachel Langs was a close second with 18 kills and 2.57 kills per set, while Zoe Hill tallied 17 kills (2.43 K/S).
Sara Nielsen earned her second double-double in the Rebel Challenge finale against UNLV, recording 41 kills and 11 digs.
The KU defense was led by Langs, who amassed 13 blocks (1.86 blocks per set), while libero Allie Nelson finished with a team-best 29 digs.
Fans can watch the match on ESPN+/Big 12 Now or listen on the Jayhawk Radio Network with Nick Springer calling the action.
MATCH INFORMATION
| Date/Time: | September 28 at 1 p.m. |
| Opponent | No. 2 Baylor |
| Location | Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena |
| Watch | ESPN+ / Big 12 Now |
| Listen | Jayhawk Radio Network |
REBEL CHALLENGE RECAP
- Kansas dropped two matches to Arizona State and UNLV, falling to the two foes in Las Vegas, Nevada in Cox Pavilion.
- A trio of Jayhawks finished the match against tournament-host UNLV in double-figure kills and were led by Ashley Smith’s 14 kills. Middle blockers Rachel Langs (12) and Zoe Hill (11) each also finished in double-digits.
- In the tournament opening match for KU, the combination of Smith, Hill and Langs again led the KU attack. Smith tallied a team-high seven kills, while Langs and Hill each had six.
FIRST SELLOUT OF THE HFVA
- After opening the Kansas Invitational with a three-set victory over Morhead State, the Jayhawks suffered a similar defeat and were downed in three-sets by the Wildcats. Each set between the two schools ended with four-points or less difference in the final set scores. KU nearly extended the match, pushing the third set to 23-23 before Arizona tallied the final two points.
- Zoe Hill, Ashley Smith and Rachel Langs each finished with a team-high six kills, while Sara Nielsen led KU with 26 assists.
- The match marked the first sellout of the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena (2,265).
OPPONENT PREVIEW: BAYLOR
- Baylor enters the match against Kansas with a 10-0 record and ranked No. 2 in the AVCA Poll. The Lady Bears have topped four ranked opponents and have a 13-set win streak.
- The BU attack is led by Yossiana Pressley, who has a team-best 174 kills (6.00 per set) and is the only Lady Bear to have topped 100 kills through the first ten matches of the season. Shelly Stafford has nearly eclipsed the 100 kill mark and has 98 (3.95 K/S).
- One point of Pressley’s success can be attributed to Hannah Lockin, who boasts a team-high 370 assists (11.56 assists per set), while no other Lady Bear has over 25 assists.
- On the defensive side of the court, BU has five with 50-or-more digs with Tara Wulf tallying a team-best 99 digs (3.09 per set). Shelly Stafford and Kara McGhee each lead the Baylor blocking attack, with Stafford averaging 1.22 blocks per set (39.0 total) and McGee a close second with 1.16 blocks per set (37.0 total).
TOP-25 CONTESTS
- Kansas and Baylor have faced each other three times in the last four seasons with one or both teams ranked in the AVCA Top-25. KU boasts a 2-1 record, including a 3-1 victory over then-No. 23 Baylor in 2018.
