The heat keeps rising for KU volleyball

By Zach Getz

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The competition keeps getting tougher for the KU volleyball team. Kansas has faced two ranked teams in a row, plus ranked Texas A&M team before that, and now must face an undefeated No. 2 Texas tonight.

“Even though playing in the Big 12 can be tough, it’s a good opportunity to play many ranked teams,” junior outside hitter Jenna Kaiser said.

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Photo by Mike Gunnoe

Junior Melissa Manda digs the ball againt Iowa State Saturday. Manda had a team high of 16 digs in the match.

Kansas (9-7, 2-5) hasn’t won a set in two weeks, while Texas (12-0, 7-0) has only lost five sets in 12 games.

Texas is returning six starters from a team that lost in the semifinals of last year’s NCAA volleyball tournament and is one of the favorites to win the tournament this year.

Texas also has two possible player of the year candidates with outside hitter Destinee Hooker and setter Ashley Engle, coach Ray Bechard said. Hooker is averaging 4.68 kills a set and 2.41 digs a set and has been the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week three out of seven weeks this season.

Kansas needs to try and keep Texas off their game by serving aggressively, managing the ball well and increasing Kansas’ offensive options, Bechard said. Bechard said Kansas also needs to take advantage of the opportunities it gets and to prevent Texas from getting momentum.

“You can’t let a point from an impressive play lead to 3 or 4 or 5 more points,” Bechard said.

Kansas needs to control aspects of the game that it can affect, like eliminating errors to compete with a top team like Texas sophomore outside hitter Lauren Hagan said.

“It’s just little stuff that we can put together as a team, and if we minimize those, then we have a shot,” Hagan said.

“There are teams that won’t see ranked team until the NCAA tournament,” Kaiser said. “We have the advantage. We can make ourselves better in our conference.”

Kansas will get a break and will face a slumping Kansas State this Saturday. Kansas State started the season ranked, but is currently on a seven game losing streak.

— Edited by Betsy Cutcliff

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