No. 22 Kansas hosts Iowa State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 22-ranked Kansas volleyball team looks to get back to its winning ways when it plays host to Iowa State, Saturday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., for its annual Jayhawks for a Cure match.

KU (13-5, 6-1 Big 12) sits in first place in the Big 12 standings with the Saturday match against Iowa State (10-10, 3-4 BIg 12) marking the end to the first half of the conference slate.

Fans can watch the game live on ESPN+, 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 13-5 overall record and a 6-1 mark during Big 12 play.
  • Iowa State enters with a 10-10 record and an 3-4 mark in conference play.
  • Saturday’s match will mark the 92nd contest between KU and ISU.
  • The Jayhawks still rank first in the Big 12 Conference standings after being upset by in-state rival Kansas State on Wednesday (Oct. 17) in four sets.
  • That loss snapped a nine-match winning streak that spanned more than a month from Sept. 14 – Oct. 16.
  • Kansas owns a four-match win streak over the Cyclones in contests played inside the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
  • The last time the Jayhawks and Iowa State met, ISU won the match, 3-1, in Ames (Oct. 28, 2017).
  • Kansas ranks first in the Big 12 Conference and second in the nation in blocks per set, averaging 3.05.
  • The Jayhawks also own the top mark in the league in total blocks (228.5), which also ranks fifth nationally.
  • KU’s 228.5 blocks is the most out of all Power Five schools and is 15.0 more than the next school in Rutgers (213.5) and was achieved in one fewer set than the Scarlet Knights.
  • Out of 18 matches played, Kansas has logged double-digit blocks in all but four, which was comprised of a 10-match streak.
  • The .168 hitting percentage Kansas has held its opponents to is also tops the conference, with the next closest being Texas Tech at .175.
  • 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 – Zoe Hill twice and Rachel Langs twice.
  • Reigning Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Oct. 15) Rachel Langs is ninth in the nation in blocks per set (1.50).
  • Junior middle blocker Zoe Hill ranks first in the Big 12 Conference and 19th 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 (1.50), which also ranks her ninth in the nation.
  • Hill ranks right behind Langs in blocks per set with a 1.39 mark, good enough for fourth in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally.
  • Junior outside hitter Jada Burse leads Kansas in total points (269.0), averaging 3.34 kills per set.
  • Freshman Camryn Ennis has started the last 15 matches as KU’s setter, averaging team bests of 6.61 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 (3.49) with Angello not far behind at 2.75 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 snapped a nine-match winning streak after suffering a loss on the road at in-state rival Kansas State (Oct. 17).

UP NEXT
KU heads back out on the road when it travels to Baylor on Saturday, Oct. 27. First serve is slated for 12 p.m.
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