LAWRENCE, Kan. – Three Wildcats produced double-figure kills to drive a fifth set in opposition to rival No. 14 Kansas, however the Jayhawks managed to carry off the Cats, 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25, 15-12, to take the primary Dillons Sunflower Showdown in entrance of a sellout crowd at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.
Okay-State (13-9, 7-6 Big 12) recorded a season-best 70 kills on the evening in comparison with the Jayhawks 59. KU (17-4, 8-3 Big 12) was guided by reverse London Davis, because the junior led each squads with a career-high 28 kills at a .556 clip.
Three gamers reached double determine kills led by Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week Aliyah Carter. With her season-best output of 24 kills, Carter generated her 16th profession 20-kill match to turn into the rally-scoring period 20-kill match chief.
Aniya Clinton posted 16 kills to the board for the Cats because the Big 12 Rookie of the Week registered her fourth consecutive double-digit match. Middle blocker Sydney Bolding added a career-high 15 kills as a Wildcat with an excellent .625 hitting effectivity and 5 blocks.
Izzi Szulczewski paced out the 5-1 offense that hit .204 as she handed out a season-best 51 assists. A local of Beaverton, Ore., Szulczewski is the primary Wildcats to achieve 50 assists since November of final season with 50 from Loren Hinkle.
Senior Mackenzie Morris recorded her third 30-dig profession match because the 2022 Big 12 Volleyball Scholar Athlete of the Year turned in a season-best 34. Carter and Szulczewski teamed up for 28 digs with 14 for each to earn a double-double.
FROM THE HEAD COACH
Head Coach Jason Mansfield
Overall assertion…
“First time within the rivalry match, it was thrilling, and the gang was nice. Really pleased with our comeback from the third and fourth set after being down 0-2 and a disappointing second set. We’re pleased with how we battled, and our protection was actually good tonight – 94 digs are so much. We gave ourselves some possibilities. It’s powerful to play a detailed match and lose. It’s occurred a few occasions, however I feel the resilience of our group to return again the following day and hopefully be higher is what we will give attention to. Plenty of actually gritty effort. Sydney Bolding was phenomenal tonight offensively. It was nice to see plenty of good individual performances. Just attempt to be slightly higher tomorrow, and I’m positive the atmosphere shall be nice once more.”
SET-BY-SET
Set One – KU 25, Okay-State 16
KU jumped out to an 8-2 lead earlier than the Wildcats took benefit of a 5-1 run to trim the Jayhawks result in one, 13-12.
The Jayhawks instantly responded with a 8-1 run to assert the preliminary set.
London posted a set-high six kills for KU’s offense that hit .150 whereas the Cats had been led by seven kills from Carter and Clinton.
Set Two – KU 25, Okay-State 23
After back-and-forth motion, Okay-State took maintain of a seven-point lead, 20-13. Momentum shortly flipped in favor of KU because the Jayhawks put collectively a 12-3 closing run to take to two-set lead.
Six Wildcats recorded a kill within the set that out-killed the Jayhawks, 18-14, with the assistance of seven from Carter.
KU out-blocked Okay-State 4.0-1.0 within the second led by three from Davis to associate with her 10 kills.
Set Three – Okay-State 25, KU 20
After 5 lead adjustments, the Cats collected a 9-1 scoring run to result in the group’s first set win in Lawrence since 2020.
Carter and Clinton mixed for 13 of the Cats 18 kills that hit a match-high .424 within the body.
Set Four – Okay-State 25, KU 19
Okay-State stored its tempo from the third set because the Wildcats to drive the fifth and ultimate set.
Tied 19-19, Bolding and Shaylee Myers handed Okay-State a two-point edge to drive a timeout from KU. A service ace by Liz Gregorski ignited a 4-1 closing run to ship the ultimate blow.
Bolding and Cater every tallied 5 kills adopted by Clinton with 4.
Set Five – KU 15, Okay-State 12
The Wildcats and Jayhawks continued to go back-and-forth, tying the fifth at 8-all.
KU held a two-point benefit, 13-12, over the Cats till a service error introduced the set again inside one. Okay-State was unable to even the rating as an attack error and kill for Caroline Bien tabbed the ultimate factors to the board.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Kansas claimed a five-set battle Friday, 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25, 15-12
- Okay-State hit .204 with a season-best 70 kills (31 errors)
- The match had 33 tie scores with 16 lead adjustments.
- Carter turned in a season-best 24 kills (.162).
- Clinton had 16 kills whereas Bolding added a career-best 15.
- Bolding completed with a .625 hitting effectivity.
- Morris recorded a season-best 34 digs for her third profession 30-dig match.
- Szulczewski dished out a season-best 51 assists with 14 digs.
- Bolding turned in 5 blocks whereas Clinton had three.
- Gregorski and Szulczewski every served up a pair of aces.
- KU hit .238 (59 kills, 15 errors)
- Davis led with a match-high 28 kills (.556) adopted by Elnady with 18
- The Jayhawks out-blocked the Cats, 15.0-8.0
BEYOND THE BOX
- The Wildcats received their first set in Lawrence since 2020
- With 24 kills, Carter produced her 16th 20-kill match to turn into the rally-scoring period 20-kill match chief
- Morris recorded her third profession 30-kill match
- Okay-State is 2-8 when dropping the primary set
- The Cats are 4-3 in opposition to ranked opponents, 1-2 vs. Top 25 groups on the highway
- Okay-State is 7-5 when taking part in on the highway this season, 4-5 in true highway video games
- In Big 12 motion, the Cats are 3-4 on the highway
- Okay-State is 2-4 in five-set matches.
- The Wildcats lead the all-time collection 67-59-1 and are 30-23 in Lawrence
WHAT’S NEXT
The second match of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown is slated for a 3 p.m. first serve Saturday, with the motion available on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
