🏐 Jayhawks Top Bobcats in Three Sets

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Anezka Szabo and Caroline Crawford led the Jayhawk offense with nine kills each as KU takes three-straight sets (25-19, 25-16, 25-13) from 2020-21 Sun Belt Champion Texas State on Friday evening at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

The victory was the first three-set sweep for the Jayhawks since Nov. 6, 2019, when KU defeated Texas Tech in Lawrence.

The Jayhawks improved to 6-10 on the season.

Texas State jumped out to and early two-point advantage in the first set but Kansas went on a five-point run to capture the lead and never relinquished it the rest of the set.

The two teams traded points fairly evenly throughout before KU made a four-point run that started with Jenny Mosser recording back-to-back kills to push the score to 17-14. Two points later, Crawford recorded a service ace. The Bobcats pulled within four before KU finished the set with back-to-back points.

In the second set, the Jayhawks jumped out to an early lead before the Bobcats tied things at 4-4. The teams  went back-and-forth again until KU broke open the set with back-to-back kills from Szabo and Crawford.

Texas State made three attack errors in a row to push the Jayhawks ahead, 17-10. KU went on the attack for the rest of the set with Crawford, Ayah Elnady and Mosser all picking up kills.

The third set started much like the first two with Kansas and Texas State trading points through the first half.

KU was able to take advantage of a service error by TSU, a kill from Rachel Langs and an ace from Molly Schultz to extend the lead to 14-9. The Bobcats were limited to only four more points in the match as Kansas held them off with kills coming from Szabo, Elnady, Crawford and Elise McGhie.

BECHARD QUOTES
On tonight’s performance …

We were solid in all phases of the game. We passed and served extremely well, which allowed us to have an efficient offense and defense. It was a very efficient night against a Texas State team that has tons of success this season.

The initiative tonight was to get more balance, and to get Caroline (Crawford) started early. She had five kills her first time across the net and Anezka (Szabo) played off that. Elise (McGhie) distributed the ball well to give our attackers good looks.

NOTES

  • Crawford and Szabo finished with nine kills to push their season totals to 71 and 67, respectively.
  • Kennedy Farris led the team with 12 digs.
  • KU won the first set 25-19, marking the sixth time this season KU has won the first set.

UP NEXT

The Jayhawks continue their spring slate at TCU for the final two Big 12 matches of the season in Fort Worth, Texas.