Jayhawks Close Regular Season With Four-Set Win Over UCF

Saturday, November 29

Lawrence, Kan.

1 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

22-10,13-5Big 12

UCF

17-12,8-10Big 12

UCF

Kansas

Jayhawks Close Regular Season With Four-Set Win Over UCF

11/29/2025 4:48:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Jovana Zelenovic posted her second-highest kill total of the season with 17, and Selena Leban matched her career's second-best mark with 14 kills as Kansas topped UCF in four sets on Saturday. The victory lifted the Jayhawks to 22–10 overall and 13–5 in Big 12 competition heading into postseason week.

"What I love most is how connected we're playing right now," head coach Matt Ulmer said. "Our composure, our decision-making, the way we execute in big moments, it's all coming together at the right time. This group has worked so hard to elevate their level, and you can see that in the way we play every rally.".

Kansas and UCF traded points through the opening rallies before the Knights used a 3–0 run to take a 5–3 lead. The Jayhawks stayed close, pulling within 8–7 after a Zelenovic kill. Back-to-back blocks from Grace Nelson and Zelenovic added momentum, cutting the deficit to 10–9. UCF pushed ahead again and carried a 15–11 lead into the media timeout before extending the margin to 18–13. Kansas responded with a small run, capped by a Leban ace that trimmed the gap to 22–16. Aisha Aiono added a kill to force a UCF timeout at 22–17, but the Knights closed out the opener 25–21.

UCF again opened strong in the second set, taking a 5–2 lead before Rhian Swanson steadied KU with consecutive kills to pull within 6–4. Zelenovic added another kill and then delivered back-to-back aces to give Kansas its first lead at 10–9, prompting a Knights timeout. KU extended its advantage to 16–11 after a 3–0 run and a Reese Ptacek ace, but UCF answered with a 5–0 surge to cut it to 18–17. Kansas responded with a key 4–0 push out of the timeout, though the Knights rallied again to tie it at 22–22. Zelenovic delivered a crucial kill to give KU set point, and the Jayhawks closed it out 25–22 to even the match.

UCF started the third set on a 4–1 run before Kansas chipped away, capitalizing on Knight errors to close within 6–4. After UCF extended the lead with a 3–0 burst, Kansas called timeout and responded immediately with a 4–0 run sparked by Zelenovic and Leban. The teams traded scoring swings, including a UCF 5–0 run to go up 15–10, but Swanson powered KU back with three straight kills to make it 15–14. The set stayed tight to 19–19 before Kansas closed strong, with a Katie Dalton dump sealing a 25–22 win and giving the Jayhawks a 2–1 match lead.

Momentum stayed with Kansas to open the fourth set, as Ptacek delivered three early kills. UCF countered with four straight, including an ace, to take a 5–4 lead, but KU answered with three kills and an attack error to go up 8–5. After UCF tied it 10–10, Kansas regained control with a five-point run highlighted by Zelenovic's third ace of the match. UCF continued to battle late, narrowing the score to 19–16 as KU committed a pair of errors, but Kansas steadied with a decisive 4–0 run. The match ended on a UCF attack error, sealing a 25–20 win and completing a successful Senior Day in Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.