Cats Sweep Arkansas for Eighth Straight Win
Sep 17, 2016 | Volleyball
GAME RECAP
3
0
25
K-STATE
WILDCATS
10-2 (0-0 Big 12)
NR
ARKANSAS
RAZORBACKS
1-9 (0-0 SEC)
LEADERS:
Bryna Vogel: 10 kills, .333%, 8 digs
Katie Brand: 35 assists, 11 digs, 4 blocks
Katie Reininger: 8 kills, .375%, 8 blocks
LEADERS:
Danielle Harbin: 13 kills, .312% 6 digs
Rachel Rippee: 31 assists, 4 digs, 2 blocks
Okiana Valle: 13 digs
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| K-State | 25 | 25 | 25 | -- | -- |
| Arkansas | 21 | 17 | 13 | -- | -- |
- ? GAMECENTER
- ? BOX SCORE
FAYETTEVILLE,
Ark. – The 25th-ranked Kansas State volleyball team never trailed
at any point during its eighth consecutive victory Friday night, a sweep
(25-21, 25-17, 25-13) of Arkansas at the Arkansas Invitational held at Barnhill
Arena.
“We defended exceptionally well tonight,” said
redshirt senior Katie Brand. “We
stayed on task and were disciplined defensively. That was a huge difference in
the match tonight.
“Everyone seemed to contribute,” added Brand,
who recorded her team-leading fifth double-double (35 assists, 11 digs). “When
we are this balanced on both sides of the net, we are tough to stop.”
The K-State (10-2) defense recorded 12 blocks
on the night, a season-high for a three-set match, as seven different players
got onto the scoresheet. That disciplined defense held Arkansas (1-9) to a .109
efficiency in the match, including .079 in the final set.
The Wildcats shot out to an early 8-3 lead in
the opening game before the Razorbacks were able to battle back and knot up the
score at 20, fueled by an 8-1 run. The Wildcats closed out the set by scoring
five of the final six points, earning a 25-21 result. Junior right-side hitter Bryna Vogel recorded four kills in the
set while the Cats tallied five team blocks. Vogel finished with a team-high 10
kills on 24 swings (.333).
Two separate 5-0 spurts propelled the Cats to a
second-set 25-17 win. Katie Reininger
tallied five kills and three blocks in the set. After posting a new season high in
kills (13) in Friday’s early match, the senior middle blocker followed up that
effort with a season-high eight blocks Friday night.
The third set held more of the same, as K-State
hit a match-high .351 and committed only two attacking errors. Senior hitter Brooke Sassin recorded six kills in the
final set as her, Reininger and Kylee
Zumach all finished the night with eight kills.
Senior libero Kersten Kober dug 11 balls, her 10th match this season
recording double-figures.
K-State concludes the Arkansas Invitational
Saturday when it takes on Southern Mississippi at 10 a.m., at Barnhill Arena.
Both the Wildcats and Golden Eagles are 2-0 in the four-team tournament. It
will be the final non-conference match for Kansas State before commencing Big
12 play on Wednesday against Iowa State. Saturday’s match can be heard on
K-StateSports.com.
NOTES
·
Kansas State is now 8-2 all-time against Arkansas.
·
This marked the fourth straight season in which the
Wildcats and Razorback have played (K-State, 3-1).
·
Head coach Suzie Fritz is now 40-22 against teams from
the SEC. It is the most victories in her career against one conference outside
of the Big 12.
·
No. 25 K-State is the fourth ranked team that Arkansas
has already faced during the 2016 season (0-4).
·
K-State reached double-figure blocks for the sixth time
in 12 matches this season (6-0).
·
Arkansas head coach Jason Watson is a former Kansas State
assistant coach (2000-01).
·
Vogel lead the team in kills for the second time in the
past three matches.
