🏐 Balanced Jayhawks Defeat TCU 3-0
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Returning to Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena, the Kansas volleyball team defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-20) on Wednesday evening.
The Jayhawks improved their record record to 13-5 (3-3 Big 12), while TCU fell to 8-9 (3-3 Big 12).
“We were solid on a couple of their team performers,” head coach Ray Bechard. said “I thought our defensive game plan was spot on. We had great balance. Camryn Turner made some great decisions there. We were disappointed at Iowa State, and I thought there were some key moments tonight. The swing that Ayah Elnady took on set point in the second set was very aggressive.”
Set One
Sophomore Caroline Bien kicked off the match with the first kill of the night to tie up the set at one. To take the lead for Kansas, sophomore Camryn Turner tallied a kill for herself to put KU ahead 2-1.
TCU attempted a comeback, but graduate transfer Lauren Dooley and super-senior Anezka Szabo blocked the Horned Frogs offense to advance Kansas to 4-2. TCU was able to comeback for a tie, 5-5, but a long rally ended with a kill by Dooley.
Super-senior Rachel Langs put Kansas ahead by two after putting the ball past the Horned Frogs defense, 8-6. Back-to-back service aces by redshirt freshman Ayah Elnady forced a TCU time out at 12-7. Coming out of the timeout, Elnady recorded another service ace.
KU moved to a 17-11 lead after a block by Dooley and Szabo. Quickly after, Dooley earned a kill, pushing TCU to call for a timeout. TCU was able to get within four, 19-15, but Lauren Dooley brought Kansas back with her sixth kill of the evening. The Jayhawks were able to close out set one 25-18.
Set Two
TCU began set two with a kill of its own. Elnady responded with her fourth kill of the match to put Kansas on the board 1-1. Langs took KU to 2-1 with her own kill.
In her first block solo of the night, Langs put KU to 3-1. The Jayhawks went on a 4-0 run before the Horned Frogs were back on the board, 4-2. TCU was within one point, but Elnady made it Kansas, 6-2.
An attack error by TCU was challenged by the Horned Frogs, but was unsuccessful and the point went to Kansas, 10-7. TCU was able to tie up set two 11-11, but a service error put Kansas back on top.
Another 4-0 run for the Jayhawks put Kansas in the lead 17-13. KU was ahead 22-17 following an attack error by the Horned Frogs. The momentum from Kansas continued and the Jayhawks were victorious in set two 25-23.
Set Three
Langs began set three with a kill, but TCU responded with a kill of its own. Bien was able to put Kansas on the same level as the Horned Frogs 2-2. TCU came out with a vengeance as it took the lead early 6–3.
Szabo was able to tie up the set once again 6-6 after tallying her fourth kill. The Horned Frogs attempted to advance their lead, but a double block by Langs and Elnady rejected that. For the first time in set three, the Jayhawks were in the lead 9-8 after Elnady pushed past the TCU defense for a Kansas kill.
Langs and Turner blocked TCU and pushed the Horned Frogs to call for a timeout at 12-9. KU maintained the lead 16-13 when Dooley had a kill for the Jayhawks. A 19-14 lead was interrupted as TCU bounced back to be within three, 19-16. Kansas continued the set on top, leading 23-20. It didn’t take long before a kill by Dooley closed out the match 25-20.
Kansas Notables
- Redshirt freshman Ayah Elnady recorded back-to-back-to-back service aces in set one.
- Elnady led the Jayhawk offense with 10 kills.
- Super-senior Rachel Langs had six block assists and one block solo.
- As a team, Kansas hit .301 compared to TCU’s .144.
- Kansas had nine total team blocks with the Horned Frogs having two.
“I think we are still a work in progress, but we are still learning, playing hard and doing a lot of good things,” said Bechard. “Nine blocks to two, digs were about the same, but the hitting efficiency paved the way for us.”
Up Next
The Jayhawks will play the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena with the match beginning at 1 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
