KU’s win streak snapped in Manhattan
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Over the past month, No. 22-ranked Kansas leaned on its defense to rattle off nine-straight victories, but Wednesday inside Ahearn Field House Kansas State used a .242 hitting percentage to knock off the Jayhawks in four sets (25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 27-25) in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown.
The defeat was the first for Kansas (13-5, 6-1 Big 12) in league play, while the Wildcats (11-7, 1-6 Big 12) earned its first league win.
The Jayhawks played from behind in every set, trailing by at least four points in each. In the third set, with the match tied 1-1, KU led 19-18 before K-State finished on a 7-2 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Junior outside hitter Jada Burse led the Jayhawks with a match-high 17 kills, her 14th double-digit kill total on the season.
K-State finished with five players recording double-digit kills, while scoring 10 service aces as a team – the highest total against the Jayhawks this season.
NOTES
- The loss snapped Kansas’ nine-match win streak and marked the first lost in Big 12 Conference play this season.
- KU’s seven-match win streak against Kansas State also ended, including six-straight victories in Manhattan.
- During the second set, the Jayhawks were outhit .171 to .231 but still recorded the victory. It marked only the second time all season where KU had a lower hitting percentage and still came out on top (fourth set against Dayton).
- Junior outside hitter Jada Burse collected 17 kills and eclipsed the 700-kill mark of her Kansas career. She now has 708.
- Ashley Smith surpassed the 300-kill mark for her career after posting 12 kills and now has 305 in her three seasons at KU. Smith has six double-digit kill performances in her last eight matches.
- Freshman setter Camryn Ennis posted her 10th career double-double with 25 assists and 13 digs.
- Junior middle blocker Zoe Hill notched her first double-digit kill match (10) in her last seven outings.
- Kansas finished the match with 13 team blocks, but had nine over the last two sets combined.
QUOTES
Head coach Ray Bechard on the unforced errors…
“Obviously, K-State played well, but we had some opportunities in the third set and we did not take advantage of them. The fourth set we had some more unforced errors. K-State served tough and created opportunities that way. That is not characteristic of our team. We are going to go back and take a look at it and make some adjustments.”
On his message to the team following the loss…
“We have been pretty joyful for the last month. Now when you stub your toe, you see if the group wants to stay together and support each other – we will. Obviously, no one is going to go through this league undefeated because everyone has at least one loss now. If you hang your head just a little bit, the next team is going to be ready for you. Iowa State is red hot and we certainly have to be ready when they come in to town Saturday.”
UP NEXT
The Kansas volleyball team returns to the Horejsi Family Athletics Center to host Iowa State in a Big 12 Conference matchup Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., in the annual Jayhawks for a Cure event. The match will be televised on ESPN+.
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