Kansas begins two-match road swing at Baylor

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas volleyball team opens a two-game road swing when it travels to Baylor, Saturday, Oct. 27 for a 12 p.m. tilt inside the Ferrell Center.

KU (13-6, 6-2 Big 12) sits in second place in the Big 12 standings with the Saturday match against the Bears (13-7, 5-4 Big 12) marking the start of the second half of the conference season.

Fans can watch the game live on FOX Sports Southwest Plus, or tune into the audio broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/Radio with Jackson Schneider calling the action.
 
QUICK HITS

  • Kansas enters Saturday’s match with a 13-6 overall record and a 6-2 mark during Big 12 play, having lost its last two-straight contests.
  • Baylor enters with a 13-7 record and a 5-4 mark in conference play.
  • Saturday’s match will mark the 50th contest between KU and BU.
  • The Jayhawks fell to second in the Big 12 Conference standings after being upset by both in-state rival Kansas State on Wednesday (Oct. 17) in four sets and Iowa State (Oct. 20) in three sets.
  • Those losses came on the heels of a nine-match winning streak that spanned more than a month from Sept. 14 – Oct. 16.
  • Kansas upset the then-No. 23 Bears last time out in Lawrence, 3-1 (Oct. 6).
  • Kansas ranks first in the Big 12 Conference and third in the nation in blocks per set, averaging 2.99.
  • The Jayhawks also own the top mark in the league in total blocks (233.5), which also ranks 12th nationally.
  • KU’s 233.5 blocks is the second-most out of all Power Five schools.
  • Out of 19 matches played, Kansas has logged double-digit blocks in all but five, which was comprised of a 10-match streak.
  • The .171 hitting percentage Kansas has held its opponents to is also tops the conference, with the next closest being Oklahoma at .182.
  • Kansas earned its first three-set conference sweep since Oct. 21, 2017, when it defeated Texas Tech, 3-0, Saturday (Oct. 13).
  • That sweep also marked the first sweep in a true road contest since Oct. 18, 2017, when the Jayhawks took three-straight at then-No. 23 Baylor.
  • The Jayhawks set a new three-set match record posting 16.5 blocks against the Red Raiders.
  • KU defeated its second-straight top-25 opponent of the season when it downed No. 4 Texas (Oct. 10) (3-1). Previously, the Jayhawks defeated then-No. 23 Baylor (Oct. 6) in four sets, 3-1.
  • That win marked the first time in school history KU had defeated a top-five Texas team and was just the sixth victory over the Longhorns in 48 meetings.
  • The Jayhawks’ 6-0 start to conference play marked the second time since 2015 that Kansas started league play 6-0. KU began 2015 Big 12 play 7-0.

PLAYER NOTES

  • KU’s Ashley Smith recorded the highest hitting percentage (.533) by an individual against the Longhorns (Oct. 10) with a minimum of 15 kills.
  • Jada Burse tallied the second-most kills (22) allowed by the Longhorns this season.
  • The Jayhawks have had four-consecutive Big 12 weekly honors spanning Sept. 24-Oct. 15 – Zoe Hill twice and Rachel Langs twice.
  • Rachel Langs is 12th in the nation in blocks per set (1.47).
  • Junior middle blocker Zoe Hill ranks third in the Big 12 Conference and 41st nationally in total blocks, recording 100 stuffs at the net.
  • Hill’s 11-block performance against West Virginia (Oct. 3) is just the second time in her career she reached double figures with her last coming on Oct. 25, 2017 against Oklahoma (10.0).
  • Freshman middle blocker Rachel Langs holds down the top spot in the league in blocks per set (1.47).
  • Hill ranks right behind Langs in blocks per set with a 1.33 mark, good for third in the Big 12 and 29th nationally.
  • Junior outside hitter Jada Burse leads Kansas in total points (280.0), averaging 3.31 kills per set.
  • Freshman Camryn Ennis has started the last 16 matches as KU’s setter, averaging team bests of 6.52 assists per set and 0.21 aces per set. The San Antonio native has reached 10 assist-dig double-doubles in her 16 matches played as a Jayhawk.
  • Junior Allie Nelson and freshman Lacey Angello have split time as KU’s starting libero. Nelson leads KU in digs per set (3.51) with Angello not far behind at 2.69 digs per set.
  • Junior outside hitter Patricia Montero underwent season-ending surgery to mend an injury incurred on Aug. 31 against Dayton. Montero, a six-rotation player, led the Jayhawks in kills per set (3.62) and points per set (4.04) at the time of her injury.

LAST TIME OUT
The Jayhawks suffered their second-straight loss when they were swept by Iowa State (Oct. 20) inside Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

UP NEXT
KU continues its road trip when it travels to Morgantown, West Virginia, for a midweek matchup against the Mountaineers, Wednesday, Oct. 31. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. (CT).
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