🏐 Kansas Takes Down Washburn in Exhibition Play

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball opened its season against a gritty Washburn team in an exhibition on Friday, where super-senior Jenny Mosser led KU with 18 kills as the Jayhawks swept the Ichabods Washburn 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-19) in Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

“We had good offensive balance,” Kansas head coach Ray Bechard said as KU hit .300 for the match. “When you hit .300 the first night out, that’s solid. We finally slowed Washburn down a little bit. Every time that we needed to respond, we did. It was a really great effort by Washburn.”

Kansas and Washburn fought back and forth throughout the first set, until a kill by KU freshman Caroline Bien started a 7-2 run by the Jayhawks to take a three-point lead at 18-15. With Washburn fighting back, Mosser took matters into her own hands earning five of KU’s last six kills and a block to give the Jayhawks the set 25-23.

Kansas edged Washburn 25-20 in set two with the Jayhawks scoring five of the final seven points of the set going on a 5-2 run and takes a two-set lead. Mosser showed her leadership and power once again, contributing to three of the last six kills in the set.

After the first two tight sets, Kansas steps on the gas in the third set with a 14-5 run to take a 14-7 lead. Washburn responded with an 8-0 run of its own to take a 15-14 lead. Kansas then went on a 6-2 run to reclaim the lead 20-17. Up one at 20-19, Kansas then finished the match scoring the final five points of the evening.

Mosser led both teams with 18 kills, while Bien added nine with 12 digs for the match. KU senior Lacey Angello led the Jayhawks with 16 digs, while sophomore Elisa McGhie paced Kansas with 41 assists. Senior Rachel Langs and sophomore Caroline Crawford each had eight kills for the match.

Kansas kicks off the 2021 regular season on Saturday, August 28, against Loyola Marymount in West Lafayette, Indiana.