K-State Opens Big 12 Play in Norman Wednesday

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Winners of five of its last seven matches, the K-State volleyball team opens its conference schedule Wednesday night, as it travels to Norman, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma at 7 p.m., at McCasland Field House.

The Wildcats (7-6, 0-0 Big 12) have swept the season series with the Sooners (3-9, 0-0) each of the last two years, and have won six of the last seven in the series overall.

K-State ended its non-conference schedule last weekend at the Omaha Challenge, completing a stretch of seven matches in 10 days in which it went 5-2. While in Omaha, the Cats picked up wins over Omaha and Northern Iowa. Senior opposite Bryna Vogel was selected to the all-tournament team after hitting .329 with 2.83 kills/set to go with 3.92 digs/set and nine blocks.

The Cats' Big 12 opener with the Sooners will be televised on FOX Sports Oklahoma and FOX College Sports Pacific. Fans can also listen live to Rob Voelker call the action in Norman on KMAN 1350 AM, 93.3 FM or k-statesports.com.

AT A GLANCE

K-State (7-6) went 2-1 while at the Omaha Challenge over the weekend, picking up victories over Omaha and Northern Iowa.
The Wildcats just completed a stretch of seven matches in 10 days - going 5-2 in that span after a 2-4 start to the season.
Senior Bryna Vogel was tabbed all-tournament team at the Omaha Challenge, the third straight weekend picking up all-tournament honors.
Kylee Zumach reached double-figure kills in all three matches, bringing her season total to 12 matches with 10+ kills (matching her 2016 total).
K-State's five-set win over UNI was the team's first five-set victory of the season (1-2).
In the match with the Panthers, the Cats registered a season-high 15.0 team blocks and 97 digs.
Libero Reilly Killeen (27) and Vogel (23) each registered 20-plus digs in the match. Killeen set a career high while Vogel matched her career-best output.
Saturday's match with UNI saw 45 ties and 18 lead changes.
K-State registered a four-set high 83 digs against Omaha Thursday, with Killeen picking up a team-best 21 in the match.
K-State is 1-4 in its last five Big 12 openers. Last season the Cats defeated Iowa State at home to begin their conference slate.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA

K-State travels to Norman, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma (3-9) to begin its Big 12 schedule.
OU has dropped its last four matches and sit at the bottom of the Big 12 standings with a 3-9 record.
As a team, the Sooners rank ninth in the conference in hitting percentage, kills/set, assists/set and opponent hitting percentage.
Defensively, Oklahoma ranks fifth in the Big 12 in blocks/set and sixth in digs/set.
Junior outside hitter Alyssa Enneking leads OU in kills (180) and kills/set 4.19 - ranking third in the league in both categories.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Oklahoma leads the all-time series, 53-32-1, dating back to 1975.
K-State has won the last four meetings and six of the last seven in the series overall.
The Wildcats are 6-4 in the last 10 and are 3-7 in the last 10 matches in Norman (won last two).
K-State head coach Suzie Fritz is 19-13 in her career against the Sooners.

NICE DIGS

In three matches in Omaha, K-State twice posted season highs in team digs: 83 at Omaha (4 sets) before 97 against Northern Iowa (5 sets).
Junior libero Reilly Killeen posted 20 or more digs in each of those matches, with a career-high 27 vs. UNI.
Her 27 digs were the most by a Wildcat since Kersten Kober's 30 on Nov. 25, 2015 against Kansas.
In Saturday's match with the Panthers, Bryna Vogel equaled her career-high 23 digs - the seventh time she has eclipsed 20 digs in a match.
It was the first time two Wildcats had 20-plus digs in a match since last season when Vogel (20) and Kober (26) did so against Georgia Tech (Sept. 3).
K-State averaged 17.42 digs/set over the weekend and entered its trip to Omaha with 13.00 digs/set.

BACK ON TRACK

After starting the season 2-4, and dropping four straight, K-State has won five of its last seven matches to enter Big 12 play at 7-6.
Under Fritz, K-State has entered conference play at .500 or better every season.
In the season's first six matches, the Cats posted 12.27 kills/set and 11.32 assists/set as a team.
Over their last seven, K-State is averaging 14.21 kills/set with 13.07 assists/set.
Defensively, the Wildcats have seen increases in digs/set - from 12.41 to 15.36.
K-State has recorded 37 service aces over its last seven matches (1.32/set) after having just 19 (0.86/set) in its 2-4 start.
Over its last 28 sets played (7 matches), K-State has recorded 15 or more kills in a single set 16 times. Entering last weekend, the Cats had seven 15-kill sets in six matches (22 sets).

MONSTERS IN THE MIDDLE

K-State middle blockers Macy Flowers, Elle Sandbothe and Peyton Williams led a Wildcat block over the weekend.
The trio combined to pick up 20 blocks in three matches at Omaha.
Sandbothe had a season-high six blocks against UNI Saturday, including three solo blocks, and led the team with 1.33 blocks/set during the four-team tournament.
As a team, K-State averaged 2.25 blocks/set (averaged 1.84/set entering weekend).

MILESTONE WATCH

K-State head coach Suzie Fritz sits at 323 career wins in her 17th season at K-State.
She sits in fifth in Big 12 history in career victories and is seven away of moving into a tie for fourth and 13 shy of equaling the third-best total in league history.
Vogel, a senior, has eclipsed the 700-kill mark Tuesday and now sits at 736 career kills.
Vogel's next set played will be the 300th of her career. (active leader).
Kylee Zumach eclipsed the 800-kill mark Friday and is poised to join the 1,000 Kill Club and currently sits with 867 kills.
Redshirt junior defensive specialist Devan Fairfield reached 400 career digs Tuesday vs. UMKC.

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Players Mentioned

Devan Fairfield

Macy Flowers

Reilly Killeen

Kersten Kober

Elle Sandbothe

Bryna Vogel

Peyton Williams

Kylee Zumach

Kansas State University Athletics