Barry selects Jayhawks for the Cure first server as No. 6 Kansas hosts Texas Tech

Notes Match Notes (.pdf)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Cancer affects us all. Saturday will represent how cancer has touched the lives of Kansas volleyball student-athletes.

Each year before the annual Jayhawks for a Cure match hosted by Kansas volleyball, the team is given the opportunity to select someone to toss the first serve. This year, junior defensive specialist Addison Barry nominated long-time family friend Gina Dodd of Topeka to commence Saturday’s match between the sixth-ranked Jayhawks and Texas Tech (4 p.m., JTV/ESPN3) inside Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

“This is something that she would never expect for herself,” Barry said of Dodd. “She has always been that person to say – what can I do for other people. This, to her, is finally something that is given to her. She has been through so much already.”

Dodd was diagnosed with breast cancer in January and continues to teach fifth-grade while going through radiation treatment.

“She is the sweetest person – never has anything bad to say about anyone,” Barry added. “Always in a great mood about anything in life and always willing to help those around her. She is a very selfless, loving and affectionate person who has always been there for my family, as a close friend to my mom. I have so much respect and trust with Gina.”

Dodd’s cousin, Jenna Kaiser, played volleyball at Kansas from 2007-10 under head coach Ray Bechard. Dodd and husband Casey are the parents of three children – Zach, Mason and Abby.

Kansas Athletics’ Jayhawks for a Cure effort partners with Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the University of Kansas Cancer Center to raise awareness and funds to help fight cancer.

SERIES
Kansas leads the all-time series with Texas Tech, 25-16, and have won 11-straight in the series since 2010. Since 2007, the Jayhawks are 16-1 against the Red Raiders. Inside Horejsi Family Athletes Center, Kansas is 15-3 against Texas Tech, including 10-straight home victories. Last season, Kansas swept both matches against Texas Tech.  

LAST TIME OUT
Kansas earned its first Big 12 road victory of the season with a four-set win over Iowa State on Wednesday in Hilton Coliseum. For the second-straight match, Kansas lost the first set, but recovered to win the next three sets. Junior All-American right-side hitter Kelsie Payne went off for nearly a triple-double, pouring in 18 kills, a career-high 16 digs and a career-high eight blocks. Kansas out-blocked Iowa State, 15.5 to 6.0, on the way to recording the most team blocks since the 2014 season. Despite KU’s low hitting percentage (.176), Jayhawk hitters committed just 18 attacking errors to ISU’s 33 attacking errors.

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