Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, September 8
Ahearn Field House
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
8-1
3
vs
0
Omaha
4-5
1
2
3
F
Omaha
11
24
22
0
K-State
25
26
25
3
Cats Cap Perfect K-State Invitational with Sweep of UNO
Sep 08, 2018 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State's defense, highlighted by three players with double-digit digs and 9.0 team blocks, carried the Wildcats to a straight-set victory over Omaha (25-11, 26-24, 25-22) Saturday night in the finale of the K-State Invitational at Ahearn Field House.
"Sometimes it looks pretty and sometimes you have to grind it out," said head coach Suzie Fritz after the match. "We felt like Omaha was a very capable serving team, it was one of the things we were most concerned about. In the end, I felt like we won that battle – we were the better served team. The other concern was that they have two really capable quick hitters that were really causing problems for a lot of people coming into the match. Our serving forced them into a lot of left-side attacks.
"Our first-swing offense was pretty good. I didn't think we were that clean in transition, but we found a way to win."
K-State (8-1) finished its annual home tournament undefeated (3-0) and extended its winning streak to six matches, the Cats' longest streak since 2016 (10). Setter Sarah Dixon and middle blocker Peyton Williams were each named to the all-tournament team, with Dixon being selected as the event's MVP.
Dixon spearheaded the Wildcat offense, averaging 11.70 assists per set while the team posted a .243 offensive efficiency over the three matches. The redshirt junior, who turned in her second double-double of the year with 29 assists and 10 digs vs. UNO, also posted 2.80 digs a set to go with six blocks in earning the first all-tournament nod of her K-State career.
Williams hit a team-high .485 for the weekend while recording 2.38 kills per set. In the match against the Mavericks, the redshirt sophomore tallied nine kills on 20 swings with two errors (.350).
Fellow middle blocker Macy Flowers tallied eight block assists and Kylee Zumach and Gloria Mutiri each added four block assists in suppressing Omaha (4-5) to a .133 team hitting percentage.
In the tournament, junior Elle Sandbothe, who did not play Saturday, averaged a team-best 2.80 blocks per set after a career-high 10 block assists Friday night against Oregon State.
"We feel very fortunate to have a three-middle rotation right now with Peyton (Williams), Macy (Flowers) and Elle (Sandbothe)" Fritz added. "They all have something that they do extraordinarily well. So to be able to utilize them and keep them healthy through the preseason is a wonderful thing for our team."
Behind 4.0 team blocks, K-State forced the Mavericks into more errors (7) than kills (6) while the Wildcat offense hit at a .387 clip in a Set 1 win. Senior Alyssa Schultejans and Williams each tallied four kills in claiming the wire-to-wire opening set.
Schultejans led K-State with 10 kills and four service aces on the night to go with five digs.
The Cats withstood 12 ties and six lead changes in a 26-24 victory in Set 2. Omaha held a 23-21 lead before K-State closed by scoring five of the last six points, capped by one of Schultejans' four aces.
The Mavericks clawed within a point at 20-19, but kills from Williams, Zumach and Schultejans aided the Wildcats' sweep. Schultejans and Williams each registered three kills in the frame.
K-State held a 55-49 edge in team digs and a 9.0-5.0 advantage in total blocks. Libero Devan Fairfield had a team-high 13 digs, her sixth consecutive match with 10 or more digs.
The Wildcats head east for a Tuesday night tilt at UMKC, with first serve slated for 6 p.m., from Swinney Recreation Center. Fans can listen to Rob Voelker call the action on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 150 AM) with free, live audio available on K-StateSports.com/watch.
K-STATE INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Haylie Bennett, Oregon State
Sarah Dixon, K-State (MVP)
Isabella Sade, Omaha
Maddie Sheehan, Oregon State
Peyton Williams, K-State
Karley York, North Texas
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
"Sometimes it looks pretty and sometimes you have to grind it out," said head coach Suzie Fritz after the match. "We felt like Omaha was a very capable serving team, it was one of the things we were most concerned about. In the end, I felt like we won that battle – we were the better served team. The other concern was that they have two really capable quick hitters that were really causing problems for a lot of people coming into the match. Our serving forced them into a lot of left-side attacks.
"Our first-swing offense was pretty good. I didn't think we were that clean in transition, but we found a way to win."
K-State (8-1) finished its annual home tournament undefeated (3-0) and extended its winning streak to six matches, the Cats' longest streak since 2016 (10). Setter Sarah Dixon and middle blocker Peyton Williams were each named to the all-tournament team, with Dixon being selected as the event's MVP.
Dixon spearheaded the Wildcat offense, averaging 11.70 assists per set while the team posted a .243 offensive efficiency over the three matches. The redshirt junior, who turned in her second double-double of the year with 29 assists and 10 digs vs. UNO, also posted 2.80 digs a set to go with six blocks in earning the first all-tournament nod of her K-State career.
Williams hit a team-high .485 for the weekend while recording 2.38 kills per set. In the match against the Mavericks, the redshirt sophomore tallied nine kills on 20 swings with two errors (.350).
Fellow middle blocker Macy Flowers tallied eight block assists and Kylee Zumach and Gloria Mutiri each added four block assists in suppressing Omaha (4-5) to a .133 team hitting percentage.
In the tournament, junior Elle Sandbothe, who did not play Saturday, averaged a team-best 2.80 blocks per set after a career-high 10 block assists Friday night against Oregon State.
"We feel very fortunate to have a three-middle rotation right now with Peyton (Williams), Macy (Flowers) and Elle (Sandbothe)" Fritz added. "They all have something that they do extraordinarily well. So to be able to utilize them and keep them healthy through the preseason is a wonderful thing for our team."
Behind 4.0 team blocks, K-State forced the Mavericks into more errors (7) than kills (6) while the Wildcat offense hit at a .387 clip in a Set 1 win. Senior Alyssa Schultejans and Williams each tallied four kills in claiming the wire-to-wire opening set.
Schultejans led K-State with 10 kills and four service aces on the night to go with five digs.
The Cats withstood 12 ties and six lead changes in a 26-24 victory in Set 2. Omaha held a 23-21 lead before K-State closed by scoring five of the last six points, capped by one of Schultejans' four aces.
The Mavericks clawed within a point at 20-19, but kills from Williams, Zumach and Schultejans aided the Wildcats' sweep. Schultejans and Williams each registered three kills in the frame.
K-State held a 55-49 edge in team digs and a 9.0-5.0 advantage in total blocks. Libero Devan Fairfield had a team-high 13 digs, her sixth consecutive match with 10 or more digs.
The Wildcats head east for a Tuesday night tilt at UMKC, with first serve slated for 6 p.m., from Swinney Recreation Center. Fans can listen to Rob Voelker call the action on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 150 AM) with free, live audio available on K-StateSports.com/watch.
K-STATE INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Haylie Bennett, Oregon State
Sarah Dixon, K-State (MVP)
Isabella Sade, Omaha
Maddie Sheehan, Oregon State
Peyton Williams, K-State
Karley York, North Texas
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State hit .219 while limiting Omaha to a .133 team hitting percentage.
- The Wildcats picked up a season-high 9.0 team blocks, led by Flowers with eight block assists.
- Three Wildcats reached double-digit digs: Fairfield (13), Zumach (11), Dixon (10).
- Fairfield has recorded 10 or more digs in six consecutive matches.
- Schultejans led the Cats with 10 digs and four aces.
- Williams and Zumach each had nine kills.
- K-State had 55 digs compare to UNO's 49.
- Dixon turned in her second double-double of the year with 29 assists and 10 digs.
- K-State leads the all-time series with Omaha, 11-6, and has won the last three meetings.
- The Wildcats' extended their winning streak to six matches, their longest since winning 10 in a row in 2016.
- The Cats' 8-1 start matches their best since starting 8-1 in 2015.
Team Stats
OMAHA
KSU
Kills
35
39
Errors
20
14
Attempts
113
114
Hitting %
.133
.219
Points
44.0
54.0
Assists
35
33
Aces
4
6
Blocks
5.0
9.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
10
Aces
4
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
5
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
S
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
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