Through the Phog
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Kansas Volleyball: Setback will only help Jayhawks

By Stan Unruh

MINNEAPOLIS - MARCH 20: The mascot of the Kansas Jayhawks performs against the North Dakota State Bison during the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on March 20, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS - MARCH 20: The mascot of the Kansas Jayhawks performs against the North Dakota State Bison during the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on March 20, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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The Kansas volleyball team suffered a tough loss on Saturday. The setback to a nationally ranked team will only help Ray Bechard’s Jayhawks going forward.

What did you do last weekend? I bet you didn’t have as challenging a weekend as the nationally ranked Kansas volleyball team. The Jayhawks played three contests in three days and won two.  Unfortunately, the third contest came against nationally ranked a Creighton team Saturday night. The Jayhawks knew they had a chance for revenge but their weary legs couldn’t deliver. The loss, their first of the season, didn’t do much to tarnish the start to the season.

As a matter of fact, Bechard’s Jayhawks remain in the top-10 according to Monday’s NCAA volleyball rankings.  That didn’t surprise me. This is a fabulous team. You remember they defeated #12 ranked Kentucky in three sets just a week ago.

How good is this team? For the past three weeks, the Big 12 awarded their Offensive Player of the Week award to a member of the Kansas volleyball team. Three different players earned the honor. This week, senior All-American outside hitter Madison Rigdon  took the award.Senior All-American Ainise Havili  earned the award that included the win over Kentucky. After week one the Big 12 gave award to Senior All-American Kelsie Payne .

That alone is impressive and says a lot about the defending Big 12 champions. You didn’t see the conference giving that award to a player from Texas, did you?

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The Jayhawks are experienced and strong. I don’t think Saturday’s loss says anything except that 3-games in 3 days is emotionally and physically difficult. The Jayhawks will get stronger

and continue to improve. We’ll see that when they play on the west coast this weekend.

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