The host Jayhawks won the first set of the match, 25-23, then dropped the next three beginning with a 25-16 victory for the Shockers in the second. Wichita State then won the next two sets, 25-19, and 25-21. Sophomore Sara McLinton led the way for the host Jayhawks, in posting 18 kills. Brianne Riley accounted for 23 digs, while Caroline Jarmoc, and Catherine Carmichael finished with double-digit kills.

Kansas won a close first set that went back and forth. Key blocks by Jarmoc and McNorton helped key the finishing point for the Jayhawks. Wichita State took control immediately in the second set, jumping on Kansas, 22-10. The third and fourth sets were more like the first set, when neither team held much of an advantage until the end when the visiting team grabbed control.

Kansas finished the season with their best record ever, 26-7. Wichita State improved to 24-9 on the year. The Shockers were keyed by Ashley Andrande who totaled 18 kills and a great hit % of .439.

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Dec. 3rd, 2012; Lawrence, KS, USA, The Kansas Jayhawks women’s volleyball team season ended with a close loss to Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA tournament. 

On Wednesday, Kansas defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in three sets, 25-18, 29-27, 26-24. The Jayhawks held the Sooner offense to a .188 hitting efficiency and did not allow a single attacker to record double-digit kills.

The Jayhawks were led on offense by redshirt junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc. Jarmoc had a team-high of 16 kills. Kansas also got big offensive performances out of senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree and sophomore outside hitters Chelsea Albers and Sara McClinton. Albers had a career-high 16 kills while Tolefree and McClinton both had 11 kills each.

The Jayhawks only recorded five team blocks compared to Oklahoma’s ten team block. Kansas’ leading blocker on the night was Albers with four. Brianne Riley also recorded 19 digs.

On Saturday, Kansas won their second match of the week against the TCU Horned Frogs. Just like the Oklahoma match, it only took Kansas three sets to defeat TCU, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17.

The Jayhawks broke a school record as nine players recorded a kill in the match and, with the win, the Jayhawks recorded their most wins in a season in school history since the Big 12 era.

Kansas was led again on offense by Jarmoc as she recorded 11 kills. Freshman outside hitter Tiana Dockery started for the first time against TCU and had 10 kills which is her sixth double-digit kill performance of the season.

Junior setter Erin McNorton dished out 34 assists while tying her career-highs in blocks (4) and aces (2). The Jayhawks had two players which double-digit digs. Juniors Brianne Riley and Jaime Mathieu recorded 14 and 13 digs, respectively.

After this week, Kansas is now 23-6 overall and 11-4 in the Big 12.

The next match for the Jayhawks will be on November 21st against the St. Louis Billikens. The game will take place in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Billikens are 10-19 overall and 4-10 in the Atlantic 10 conference.

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On Wednesday, Kansas defeated the Kansas State Wildcats in four sets, 13-25, 28-26, 26-24, 27-25. The Jayhawks won at Kansas State for the first time since 2009 and swept the Sunflower Showdown this season.

According to kuathletics.com, head coach Ray Bechard said, “We fought really hard. You have to fight hard to beat a good team on the road by two points, three sets in a row.”

The Jayhawk offense was led by sophomore outside hitter Sara McClinton. She recorded 16 kills and had a.364 attack percentage. There were also three other Kansas players with double-digit kills. Redshirt junior outside hitter Cathrine Carmichael (Manhattan native) had 14 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Albers and redshirt junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc each had 11 kills.

Kansas’ junior setter Erin McNorton recorded 49 assists and 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. She also record a career-high four blocks.

On Saturday, Kansas lost a hard fought match against the No. 3 Texas Longhorns. Last time these two met this season, the Longhorns swept the Jayhawks, but Texas needed all five sets this time to defeat Kansas, 25-20, 15-25, 25-22, 16-25, 12-15.

Jarmoc led the Jayhawk attack with 18 kills and a .306 attack percentage. McClinton also had double-digit kills with 11 and McNorton racked up a total of 45 assists.

Defensively, junior libero Brianne Riley led the team in digs with 26. She returned to the Jayhawks after missing the KSU match due to injury. Senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree led the team in blocks with seven in the match. Kansas recorded a total of eleven blocks compared to Texas’ fourteen blocks.

With the loss to Texas, Kansas is no longer perfect at Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Their home win streak of 13 games is the team’s best streak in program history.

After this week, Kansas is now 21-6 overall and 9-4 in the Big 12.

The next match for the Jayhawks will be on November 14th against the Oklahoma Sooners. The game will take place in Lawrence, Kansas. In their last match, the Jayhawks defeated the Sooners in five sets.

The Sooners are 19-9 overall and 8-5 in the Big 12 this year.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @RickyWidmer.

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Check out my other writings on the Oregon Ducks blog, Autzen Zoo.