With only four matches left in the season, Kansas is hoping to knock off another ranked opponent in order to make itself an attractive pick for the NCAA volleyball tournament. Kansas will have its chance as it faces three top 10 teams in its final four matches of the regular season.

Fresh from an emotional victory against No. 21 Baylor and a season sweep of Kansas State, Kansas will travel to Ames, Iowa, to face a daunting No. 8 Iowa State team.

Kansas comes in with a 15-11 (7-9) record and has won six out of the last nine matches. Iowa State sports a 22-4 (14-3) record with its only losses coming from ranked teams. It is the only team to defeat No. 2 Texas as well.

Coach Ray Bechard said this match is coming at a great time of the season.

“They are a premier top-10 team,” Bechard said. “That’s exactly what we need. With the two ranked teams (this) week, we need to find a way to get a win or two to get some people to look at us for the postseason.”

A postseason berth is on the mind of the players, which may be the reason Kansas has been playing well as of late, junior defensive specialist Melissa Manda said.

“We’ve kind of realized what we’re playing for getting close to the end of the season,” Manda said. “Picking up another win from a ranked team would help a lot.”

Iowa State has been playing well lately and has a lot of quality players, Manda said.

“They work really well together,” Manda said. “They have a really good defensive system and their libero is really good.”

Iowa State swept Big 12 conference volleyball honors last week. Outside hitter Victoria Henson was named offensive player of the week, libero Ashley Mass was named defensive player of the week and middle blocker Jamie Straube was named rookie of the week.

While the team can’t help playing many ranked opponents in conference play, it’s good to have the chance to play ranked teams, senior libero Melissa Grieb said.

“It’s good to play these high quality teams because if we do get wins like that, it’s better than beating someone that wouldn’t help our case at all,” Grieb said.

There is also a sense of urgency for Kansas players, especially for the seniors, Grieb said.

“We’ve been working hard all season and finally with the good chemistry on the team that it’s all coming together,” Grieb said. “Every game could be your last. There is urgency through the last three weeks of the season.”

Kansas’ season is shaping up much like the 2005 season, which was the last season during which Kansas went to the NCAA volleyball tournament. In that season Kansas was 15-14 in the regular season and played nine ranked teams in the regular season. Kansas will face nine ranked teams this season and has victories against Oklahoma and Baylor, along with a season sweep of Kansas State.

— Edited by Samantha Foster