Team hopes to set the pace

By Zach Getz

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Kansas volleyball team will face No. 14 Iowa State at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday at the Horejsi Family Athletic Center.

Kansas (9-6, 2-4) has been undefeated at home in Big 12 Conference play and is 4-1 overall at home this season. Iowa State’s (13-3, 5-2) only losses have come against Top 25 opponents this season.

Coach Ray Bechard said Kansas needs to stop sitting back waiting for something to happen and make something happen themselves. The team needs to keep working on endgame situations and work harder in practice in order to correct these problems, Bechard said.

“We got to put pressure on ourselves to compete in the gym when it’s just us,” Bechard said.

While Kansas lost to Nebraska, Kansas was competitive in the match, and sophomore outside hitter Allison Mayfield said that could create confidence going into Iowa State.

“Being that close, I think it shows we have the talent and the skill, and we just got to pull it together for the home game,” Mayfield said. “It gives confidence because if we play like we can, we can definately win that match.”

Kansas needs to start the match out well and make Iowa State play to Kansas’ tempo, junior outside hitter Karina Garlington said.

“We need to focus on setting the game pace to our level,” Garlington said. “We need to make Iowa State play how KU wants to play.”

Kansas has also started out games slow, which Garlington said Kansas must fix in order to compete with Iowa State.

“We need to step up from point one and really make a statement.”

— Edited by Jonathan Hermes

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