Kansas gets set for scrappy Colorado team

By Zach Getz

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Kansas volleyball needs to continue to play strong at home in the Big 12 Conference as Kansas faces Colorado 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

Kansas (8-4, 1-2) has played well at home while Colorado (5-8, 0-4) has yet to win a game on the road this season. Colorado is also on a four game losing streak.

Kansas hopes to keep these trends alive, but may have to do without the help of junior outside hitter Karina Garlington, who sat out against Baylor with an injury. Coach Ray Bechard said whether Garlington plays will be a game time decision.

Bechard said while Colorado has a losing record it had pre-conference success and had to face only top tier Big 12 teams in early conference play. Colorado also returned key experienced players this season who are incorporated into a new regime hungry for a Big 12 victory, Bechard said.

Senior defensive specialist Melissa Grieb said Colorado is a very scrappy team that plays tough. Colorado is also getting some players back from injury, so their record isn’t really a reflection of how good a team they are, Grieb said.

The team has continued to work on end game as Kansas has continued to fall short towards the end of the set.

“We can get to the end game, then we haven’t seemed to be able to battle through the end,” Grieb said.

It’s not just about end game, but also leading up to the end game, Bechard said.

“We work on end game every day, but also how to put yourself in a situation from one to 20 where end game is not so critical,” Bechard said.

Senior middle blocker Brittany Williams agreed that Kansas needs to work on end game and continue with the strong defense and getting key digs.

“We have to play our own game and be on our pace instead of responding to the pace of another team," Williams said.

— — Edited by Samantha Foster

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