Volleyball team strives to defeat Nebraska

Friday, November 20, 2009

In the 84 times that Kansas has played Nebraska, it has yet to muster a victory. Kansas is now 0-83-1 all-time against Nebraska but will have another shot to defeat the No. 9-ranked Cornhuskers at 3 p.m. Saturday in Lawrence.

Nebraska is consistently talented and in the top 10 every year, and the dominance over Kansas speaks volumes about the type of program Nebraska is, coach Ray Bechard said.

Photo by Mike Gunnoe

Senior Katie Martincich, middle, celebrates with sophomore Nicole Tate, left, and senior Melissa Grieb, right after a comeback in the match against Baylor Saturday. Kansas won 3-1.

“We’ve never lost to a bad Nebraska team,” Bechard said. “It’d be great to break through at some point. If we keep working day in and day out, and year in and year out, it’ll happen at some point.”

Volleyball is huge in Nebraska said Paige Mazour, senior middle blocker and Nebraska native.

“It’s a big deal when you go there,” Mazour said. “They sell out in four minutes, and in the whole state, football and volleyball is always a big thing.”

Previous match

Kansas 20 20 21

Nebraska 25 25 25

Up next

No. 9 Nebraska at Kansas

When: 3 p.m., Nov. 21

Where: Horejsi Family Athletics Center

Senior setter Katie Martincich said she felt that Kansas has competed well against Nebraska recently.

“We’ve proven in the past couple years that we can hang with them, but it would be great to actually pull out a win this time at home,” Martincich said.

Kansas comes in with a 15-12 (7-10) record while Nebraska has a 20-6 (13-4) record. During the first match between the teams this season, Kansas played Nebraska close in all three sets, but Nebraska was able to pull away late in each of the sets.

Kansas will need a total team effort and everyone will need to have a good game, coach Ray Bechard said.

“It’s going to take a good effort in all phases,” Bechard said. “They went through a phase earlier in the year where they were still developing, but they play at tremendous tempo and are solid at all phases.”

The Jayhawks will try to use the urgency of the end of the season and post-season aspirations fuel team motivation, Martincich said.

“When we played K-State here and Baylor here, there was definitely that urgency,” Martincich said. “Everyone on our team felt it, so hopefully we can bring that back and win Saturday against Nebraska.”

Follow Kansan writer Zach Getz at twitter.com/zgetz.

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