Kansas Volleyball has 2 matches left
Seniors Emily Brown, Caitlin Mahoney anticipate Senior Day
Brown and Mahoney are focused on their games, not speeches. They said they wanted to plan a rap, but ran out of time.
By Rustin Dodd (Contact)
Friday, November 16th, 2007
Emily Brown and Caitlin Mahoney have no clue what they’re going to say during their senior day speeches after Saturday’s 11 a.m. match against Iowa State. Brown and Mahoney definitely know they have to do one, but they’ve been focused on other things lately — like winning volleyball matches. “We’ve been so focused on going to K-State and winning,” Mahoney said.
Kansas lost to No. 12 Kansas State 3-1 on Wednesday. The realization that Saturday will be Brown’s and Mahoney’s last match at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center has finally started to sink in.
“We keep talking about it, so I know it’s coming,” Brown said. “But until the game is actually over, that’s when it will be like ‘wow.’”
Brown and Mahoney leave together in the same senior class but arrived a year apart. Mahoney, a St. Louis, Mo., native, took a medical redshirt during her freshman year in 2003. Brown, a Baldwin City native, arrived a year later in 2004. Both arrived at just the right time. Kansas made the NCAA tournament during Mahoney’s first three years with the program, while Brown joined in for the last two of those three NCAA berths.
But Kansas has struggled to a 12-16 record — including a 5-13 conference mark — during their senior campaigns.
Now two matches remain: Iowa State on Saturday and a road match at Texas Tech next Wednesday. The games are two opportunities for Brown and Mahoney to make sure they leave their careers behind on their own terms.
“I just want to make sure we have no regrets and we play our butts off,” Mahoney said. “Even if we have only two games left, I want to win so bad it’s ridiculous.”
Brown agreed.
“Just ending on a good note,” Brown said. “I think Caitlin and I would both like that.”
And luckily for Brown and Mahoney, they both have a day left to work on those senior day speeches.
“I don’t know if tears will be shed,” Mahoney said.
Brown said the duo had wanted to do a rap.
“You know, spice it up a little bit,” Mahoney said. “We just didn’t have time prepare. We’ve been focused on other things.”
Match Preview
Kansas vs. Iowa State
Saturday 11 a.m.
Horejsi Family Athletics Center
Kansas fell to Iowa State 3-0 when the teams met on Oct. 3. The Jayhawks have lost their last five matches against the Cyclones.
Senior Day time change
Saturday’s match with Iowa State was originally scheduled for 7 p.m., but was moved up to 11 a.m. Kansas coach Ray Bechard said the change was made because of the 2:30 p.m. game against Iowa State at Memorial Stadium. “People can go to the volleyball game in the morning and then head to the football game and enjoy the rest of the day,” Bechard said. Fans with a Iowa State football ticket can get a discounted price to the volleyball match.
Up next
Kansas finishes its season with a road match against Texas Tech Nov. 21. The Jayhawks beat the Red Raiders 3-0 on Sept. 22, at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
—Edited by Rachael Gray
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