RCW: Inside Volleyball 3.12

Get a quick look inside your favorite Kansas Jayhawk programs each week with Rock Chalk Weekly’s Inside Sports pages. Notable statistics, quick hits and the top social media posts get every Jayhawk fan up-to-speed and ready for another week of thrilling competition.

Number BY THE NUMBERS
Senior middle blocker Tayler Soucie became just the third Jayhawk to reach 500 career blocks, reaching that historic mark with six blocks against Oklahoma on Saturday night in Norman. Soucie joins the elite group with Caroline Jarmoc (2009-13, 555) and Amanda Reves (1996-99, 514).
 

UPCOMING HOME MATCHES
Tickets TCU (Nov. 12)
Tickets Iowa State (Nov. 19)

FOLLOW
Twitter @KUVolleyball
Facebook /KansasVolleyball
Instagram kuvolleyball
 

Notes QUICK HITS

• The fourth-ranked Jayhawks (22-2, 11-1 Big 12) are in control of their own destiny, in terms of winning a Big 12 title, entering the final three weeks of the regular season. Kansas closes its schedule with TCU at home (Nov. 12), West Virginia in Morgantown (Nov. 16), Iowa State at home (Nov. 19), and Baylor in Waco (Nov. 26).
• SALUTE TO SERVICE: Kansas volleyball will pay tribute to the United States Armed Forces during Veterans Day weekend with its annual Salute to Service match on Saturday against TCU in Horejsi Family Athletics Center. KU welcomes the 312th Army Band to play the National Anthem and serve as the color guard, while Marine Maj. Jake MacDonald will give the honorary first serve.
• TITLE CHASE: Kansas is in a tie for first place in the Big 12 Conference standings with No. 5 Texas after defeating the Longhorns on Oct. 29 to even the season series, 1-1. The Jayhawks are seeking a first-ever Big 12 title, while the Longhorns have won the last five league crowns.
• NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Entering Saturday’s home match against TCU, Kansas boasts a 14-match winning streak inside Horejsi Family Athletics Center, including a 10-0 record at home this season. The Jayhawks are 31-1 in the last 32 matches at home.
• 500 BLOCKS: With six blocks, senior middle blocker Tayler Soucie became the third Jayhawk to reach 500 career blocks and the second Jayhawk to reach 100 blocks all four seasons of her career. She ended the match with those exact numbers – 500 career blocks and 100 blocks on the season.
• 1,000 KILLS: Junior All-American right-side hitter Kelsie Payne joined an elite group on Saturday night at Oklahoma, becoming the 15th Jayhawk to reach 1,000 career kills. The Austin, Texas native recorded a match-high 21 kills against the Sooners on a .381 hitting percentage, adding seven digs, six blocks and an ace.
• WINNING: For the first time in program history, Kansas has a pair of 10-match winning streaks in the same season. The Jayhawks started the season 10-0, and have won the last 10 matches entering this weekend. Kansas boasts the second-best winning percentage in the nation since the start of the 2015 season; its 52-5 record (.912) since last season is second only to 2015 national champion Nebraska at 54-5 (.915).
• TOP-10: Kansas remained at No. 4 for the second-straight week in the AVCA Coaches Poll on Monday. The Jayhawks have been ranked in the top-25 for a program-record 27-consecutive weeks (since Sept. 7, 2015), including 22-consecutive weeks in the top-10 (since Oct. 5, 2015). KU’s No. 4 ranking ties a program high in the AVCA Coaches Poll for the sixth time.
• FIVE SET SUCCESS: Kansas is 5-0 in five-set matches this season, including back-to-back five-set wins over No. 2 Texas (Oct. 29) and on the road at Kansas State (Nov. 2).
• BECHARD RECORDS: Kansas head coach Ray Bechard is 347-231 (.600) in his 19th season at KU. Since 2012, the Jayhawks are 125-29 (.812) under Bechard.