A foreboding presence looms over the Jayhawk volleyball team when conference play begins in less than a week, with three of the first five matches being against nationally ranked opponents. Two of them, Nebraska and Texas, are ranked in the top three as of this week.

This is why when the Jayhawks wrap up their nonconference schedule this weekend at the Cowgirl Classic in Laramie, Wyo., they better be on a roll.

“It’s really important, because it would be a great win for us,” Natalie Uhart, senior middle blocker, said. “Just for getting into the NCAA tournament, we can’t afford to lose.”

And with a 4-2 record heading into their first match-up of the tournament against host Wyoming today at 11 a.m., any added setbacks will only create more pressure to win in the ultra-competitive Big 12 conference.

What could help the Jayhawks gain that needed confidence for the conference play is to finally shut the door on their opponents this weekend, with two of their last matches ending in four sets, with the team leading each match 2-0 and unable to capitalize on the sweep.

“We need to do it because we need to know what it feels like,” Uhart said. “We kind of slack off a little bit, and we need to focus and get it done in three games.”

One of the reasons that the Jayhawks have been able to even control the past two matches in four sets has been superb play from their freshmen, specifically setter Nicole Tate.

Tate has come into a high-pressure position and has helped her teammates, like sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington, flourish at the start of this season.

“The speed of the game has been a lot faster,” Tate said. “The coaches have just helped us prepare for it.”

Besides helping the team with assists and digs, which Tate had 42 and 12 against UMKC Tuesday night respectively, the kills have surprisingly been there for Tate, who uses her deceptive left hand to gain the advantage when most blockers think she is just setting up her players with another assist.

“That’s something I’ve kind of developed over the years,” Tate said of her unique move. “My coaches really liked it, and now they want me to be more offensive to throw the blockers off.”

It will take all the tricks in the Jayhawks’ arsenal to pull out a perfect tournament this weekend, something to which they have been close, but not yet been able to finish off, having recorded one loss a piece in their two tournaments so far this year.

But an added boost will be the return of head coach Ray Bechard to the sidelines, as he was absent against UMKC Tuesday night as well as practices Monday and Wednesday.

Bechard had taken the time off to be with his family after the tragic passing of his brother Don from pleomorphic liposarcoma cancer last Friday.

“We miss his company,” Uhart said. “We feel terribly sorry for what happened; we just miss his presence.”

For the Jayhawks, they hope Bechard’s presence will bring them the extra energy they need to be able to finish their nonconference schedule swimmingly before the giants of the Big 12 conference appear on the horizon.

— — Edited by Kelsey Hayes