Kansas Falls in Straight Sets at Utah

Wednesday, November 19

Salt Lake City, Utah

8 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

20-9,11-4Big 12

Utah

13-13,5-10Big 12

Kansas

Utah

Kansas Falls in Straight Sets at Utah

11/19/2025 10:18:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Season Stats 11.19 Box Score (PDF)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kansas saw its five-match winning streak come to an end as the Jayhawks fell to Utah in straight sets (25-20, 25-21, 25-22) Wednesday night. The loss moves Kansas to 20-9 overall and 11-4 in Big 12 play.

Kansas opened the first set with a quick spark as Logan Bell dropped in an ace for a 1–0 lead, but Utah answered immediately and the teams traded early points. The Utes grabbed momentum with an ace and a pair of KU errors to go up 5–3, though the Jayhawks stayed close with steady responses from Grace Nelson and Rhian Swanson. Utah then used a 5–0 run to stretch the lead to 15–9 at the media timeout. Kansas continued to chip away, using kills from Swanson, Aisha Aiono, and Jovana Zelenovic, then an Aiono block cut the lead to 18–14. Back-to-back Utah attack errors pulled KU within 20–18, forcing a Ute timeout. Utah regrouped with a 3–0 burst to go up 23–19, and despite Kansas' push, the Utes closed the frame 25–20 to take a 1–0 match lead.

In the second set, Kansas answered quickly as Aiono put down the Jayhawks' first kill. KU then seized early momentum behind strong blocking from Zelenovic, who recorded a solo block, and both Ptacek and Nelson teamed up for another to build a 3–1 advantage. Utah responded with a small run to tie the set 3–3, then pushed ahead 5–3. Kansas continued to battle, with Nelson delivering multiple side-out kills to keep the Jayhawks within reach at 5–5. Utah then strung together a 5–0 surge, taking a 10–5 lead and forcing a Kansas timeout. Out of the break, Nelson tallied another kill to steady KU, but Utah continued to convert offensively and extended its lead to 12–7. Kansas chipped away behind kills from Zelenovic and Aiono, trimming the deficit to 14–12 after back-to-back Utah attack errors. Utah closed the second set with steady offense, a timely ace that pushed the Utes ahead 23–16. Kansas grabbed a few points back with blocks, but Utah ultimately finished the frame 25–21 behind a final kill to take a 2–0 match lead.

In the third set, the teams traded points back and forth. Kansas went on a brief 3-0 run to take a 5-2 lead, but Utah responded with three straight kills to tie the set at 5-5. Both teams continued to battle point for point, with kills from Zelenovic and Ptacek giving Kansas a 7-6 advantage. The Jayhawks later extended their lead to 11-8 before Utah responded with a 3-0 run to tie it at 11-11. Kansas answered with its own surge midway through the set and entered the media timeout with a 15-12 lead following an attack error by Utah. After the timeout, the teams traded points once again, with Utah gradually pulling ahead. The score was tied at 22-22 before Utah went on a brief run to take set point and closed out the set 25-22 after a Kansas attack error, taking the match 3-0.

Up next, Kansas stays in Utah, looking to bounce back against No. 25 BYU at 7 p.m. CT. The match can be streamed on ESPN+.