Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, September 15
Omaha, Neb.
4:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
6-6
0
vs
3
Nebraska
6-2
1
2
3
F
Nebraska
25
25
25
3
K-State
22
11
16
0
No. 10 Cornhuskers Overpower K-State in Omaha
Sep 15, 2017 | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. – K-State hung early in its match with Nebraska Friday, but the 10th-ranked Cornhuskers ultimately proved to be too much as the Wildcats fell in straight sets (25-22, 25-11, 25-16) at the Omaha Challenge at Baxter Arena.
K-State (6-6) matched Nebraska (6-2) point-for-point in the opening set until the Huskers closed out the frame on a 4-1 run. NU went on to claim the next two sets for its sixth consecutive win by way of a sweep.
Nebraska limited the Wildcats to their lowest output on the season in kills (31), hitting percentage (.101), digs (29) and assists (28).
Redshirt junior Kylee Zumach recorded 10 of the Wildcats' 31 kills while hitting at a .296 clip. Senior opposite Bryna Vogel finished second on the team with six kills and eight digs. Libero Reilly Killeen was the Cats' digs leader with nine while middle blocker Elle Sandbothe and Zumach each picked up a pair of blocks.
"I thought we stayed relatively composed and did some nice things early in the match," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "When we were in good situations I thought we were really good. I think our block is getting better, we are starting to get more productive touches at the net."
Nebraska ended the match with a .323 hitting percentage while holding K-State under .100 in the final two sets. The Huskers finished with a 51-29 edge in total digs and 47-31 advantage in team kills.
"We broke down in serve-receive," Fritz added. "So then everything changed a little bit for us. I thought (Nebraska) served very strategically and really made some people work."
K-State battled back from a late four-point deficit to tie the score at 21 in the opening set before Nebraska scored four of the next five to take a one set to none lead. Zumach had five kills on eight swings in the set while both Vogel and Williams each contributed three. The Wildcat defense picked up four team blocks as they out-hit NU, .231-.229, in the frame.
Following a 12-2 stretch midway through Game 2, the Huskers owned a 19-8 lead and cruised to a 25-11 set win. NU hit .467 (16k-2e-30ta) as a team in the stanza while forcing the Cats into seven errors against eight kills on 35 attacks (.029), blocking four Wildcat attacks. Sandbothe had three kills on five swings.
The Cats crawled within a point at 15-14 in the third, however, Nebraska responded with a 10-2 run to close out the match. For the second straight set, NU held K-State to a .029 efficiency.
Nebraska-transfer Brooke Smith dished out a team-best 14 assists for K-State while fellow setter Sarah Dixon had a dozen. Each also had three digs.
K-State concludes its non-conference slate on the final day of the Omaha Challenge Saturday against Northern Iowa at 5:30 p.m. Live audio from Baxter Arena will stream live on K-StateSports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (6-6) matched Nebraska (6-2) point-for-point in the opening set until the Huskers closed out the frame on a 4-1 run. NU went on to claim the next two sets for its sixth consecutive win by way of a sweep.
Nebraska limited the Wildcats to their lowest output on the season in kills (31), hitting percentage (.101), digs (29) and assists (28).
Redshirt junior Kylee Zumach recorded 10 of the Wildcats' 31 kills while hitting at a .296 clip. Senior opposite Bryna Vogel finished second on the team with six kills and eight digs. Libero Reilly Killeen was the Cats' digs leader with nine while middle blocker Elle Sandbothe and Zumach each picked up a pair of blocks.
"I thought we stayed relatively composed and did some nice things early in the match," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "When we were in good situations I thought we were really good. I think our block is getting better, we are starting to get more productive touches at the net."
Nebraska ended the match with a .323 hitting percentage while holding K-State under .100 in the final two sets. The Huskers finished with a 51-29 edge in total digs and 47-31 advantage in team kills.
"We broke down in serve-receive," Fritz added. "So then everything changed a little bit for us. I thought (Nebraska) served very strategically and really made some people work."
K-State battled back from a late four-point deficit to tie the score at 21 in the opening set before Nebraska scored four of the next five to take a one set to none lead. Zumach had five kills on eight swings in the set while both Vogel and Williams each contributed three. The Wildcat defense picked up four team blocks as they out-hit NU, .231-.229, in the frame.
Following a 12-2 stretch midway through Game 2, the Huskers owned a 19-8 lead and cruised to a 25-11 set win. NU hit .467 (16k-2e-30ta) as a team in the stanza while forcing the Cats into seven errors against eight kills on 35 attacks (.029), blocking four Wildcat attacks. Sandbothe had three kills on five swings.
The Cats crawled within a point at 15-14 in the third, however, Nebraska responded with a 10-2 run to close out the match. For the second straight set, NU held K-State to a .029 efficiency.
Nebraska-transfer Brooke Smith dished out a team-best 14 assists for K-State while fellow setter Sarah Dixon had a dozen. Each also had three digs.
K-State concludes its non-conference slate on the final day of the Omaha Challenge Saturday against Northern Iowa at 5:30 p.m. Live audio from Baxter Arena will stream live on K-StateSports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State posted a .101 attacking percentage (season low) and Nebraska hit a .323 clip.
- As a team, the Wildcats posted season lows in kills, hitting percentage, digs and assists.
- Zumach led the Cats with 10 kills, her 11th match this season reaching double figures.
- Vogel had six kills while Peyton Williams finished with five.
- Defensively, Killeen led the team with nine digs and Sandbothe and Zumach each had a pair of blocks.
- Nebraska now leads the all-time series with K-State, 81-4. This was the first meeting since the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
- K-State has lost its last seven matches against top-25 teams and 15 of its last 16, dating back to 2014.
- Nebraska has now won six straight matches in straight sets after beginning the season 0-2.
Team Stats
NEB
KSU
Kills
47
31
Errors
15
20
Attempts
99
109
Hitting %
.323
.101
Points
59.0
36.0
Assists
45
28
Aces
3
1
Blocks
9.0
4.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOPP
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
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