KANSAS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
MANHATTAN, Kan. – No. 13 Kansas secured its 20th win of the season with a straight-set 3-0 sweep of in-state rival Kansas State on Saturday afternoon at Morgan Family Arena.T
he Jayhawks were led offensively by Jovana Zelenovic and Rhian Swanson, who each posted 10 kills. Reese Ptacek added nine kills on .600 hitting, while Grace Nelson finished with seven. Setter Katie Dalton guided the attack with 35 assists, and libero Ryan White collected a match-high 14 digs.
Defensively, KU recorded eight team blocks, with Aisha Aiono and Zelenovic tallying four apiece. The Jayhawks hit .250 as a team and improve to 20-8 overall and 11-3 in Big 12 play.
"Anytime you can line up your best against their best and get a win, that's a really nice team effort. I'm proud of how we handled the emotions of a rivalry match," said Head Coach Matt Ulmer. "They pushed hard in the third set, and I think the old us probably loses that set, but the mature us made good adjustments and finished it."
Kansas and Kansas State traded points early, splitting the first five to stay tied 5–5 in the opening set. KU began to create some separation with a 4–0 run to take a 10–7 lead. The Wildcats answered with a point, but a kill from Ptacek followed by a service ace from Zelenovic pushed the Jayhawks ahead 12–9. Kansas continued to control the pace, adding another 3–0 run to extend the lead to 15–10 at the media timeout.
Out of the break, the teams continued to trade points, with Kansas maintaining its multi-point cushion as Swanson, Ptacek, and Zelenovic each contributed kills to keep the Jayhawks in front 19–14, prompting a K-State timeout. The Wildcats threatened with a pair of points out of the huddle, but KU responded again as Nelson and Zelenovic pushed the lead to 21–15, forcing a second K-State timeout. Kansas State made one final push late, trimming the deficit to 24–22, but the Jayhawks closed out the set on a K-State service error to secure the 25–22 opening frame.
To open the second set, Kansas State took the first two points before a Wildcat service error put Kansas on the board. That break sparked a 9–2 Jayhawk run, as KU jumped out to a 10–5 lead to force K-State to call a timeout to regroup. Out of the timeout, Kansas kept rolling with kills from Swanson and Zelenovic.
The Wildcats responded with three points off Jayhawk errors to cut the lead to 12–8, but KU remained unfazed and answered with steady side-outs that helped restore control, pushing the lead to 16–11. Zelenovic then delivered an ace to extend the advantage to 17–11 and send K-State to a second timeout. The Wildcats earned a few points back off KU attack errors, but the Jayhawks continued to respond with timely kills from Dalton and Ptacek to stay in front 22–17.
The Wildcats earned a few points back from KU attack errors, but the Jayhawks continued to answer with timely kills from Dalton and Ptacek to stay in front 22–17. Two straight K-State hitting errors extended the lead to 23–17, and a Zelenovic kill brought KU to set point at 24–18. Kansas closed out the frame shortly after, taking the set 25–20 and building a 2–0 match lead.
Kansas opened the third set strong, taking a quick 4–1 lead behind kills from Nelson, Dalton, and a Zelenovic ace. Kansas State answered with a 5–0 run to move in front 6–4, and the teams continued to trade points with Swanson, Ptacek, and Aiono keeping KU close at 9–9. From there, K-State took control with a series of kills, using a 9–2 surge to build an 18–14 lead and force two KU timeouts.
Kansas continued to battle, with Nelson and Swanson pulling KU back within 18–16 before a service error and another K-State kill pushed the Wildcats ahead 20–17. The teams traded points as K-State had the lead, but Kansas stayed close behind thanks to kills from Aiono, Zelenovic, and Ptacek, narrowing the gap to 22–20. KU then surged late, Zelenovic and Leban each delivered key kills, and a Dalton service ace tied the set at 22–22. After trading sideouts again to 23–23, Kansas earned set point on a Zelenovic kill, and after K-State briefly evened it at 24–24, a Wildcat attack error set up KU's chance. Ryan White sealed it with a service ace, giving Kansas the set 26–24 and a commanding 3–0 match sweep.