Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, September 7
Ahearn Field House
12 p.m.
Kansas State University
6-1
3
vs
0
North Texas
3-5
1
2
3
F
North Texas
18
18
21
0
K-State
25
25
25
3
K-State Runs Streak to Five After Doubleheader Sweep
Sep 08, 2018 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State ran its winning streak to five straight matches following a sweep of North Texas (25-18, 25-18, 25-21) and a four-set win over Oregon State (20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-22) Friday on the opening day of the K-State Invitational at Ahearn Field House.
Following its straight-set victory over North Texas (3-5), K-State (7-1) rebounded from an opening-set loss to take the three straight sets from Oregon State (5-2).
"It's a tough day, seven games in one day," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "We maybe weren't as sharp (in the second match) as we were earlier in the day, as you might expect. But (Oregon State) had to do the same thing, it was even playing field. "
Trailing the Beavers 21-15 and in danger a two-set hole, the Wildcats closed the second set on a 10-1 run that included three kills from fifth-year senior Kylee Zumach and five straight points straight points served by Zsofia Gyimes to level the match.
"I didn't feel like we were managing our frustrations well, midway through Game 2," Fritz added. "Zsofia (Gyimes) had an incredibly important serving run at the end of that and then we started finally getting some stuff blocks and started doing things at the net that were big time at the end of Game 2. Once we got a little more connected, things started to turn."
In Set 3, a string of seven consecutive points handed the Beavers a four-point lead at 15-11. The Cats immediately responded with a 7-1 spurt to retake the lead, 18-16, and freshman Gloria Mutiri ended the set with one of her 16 kills to give K-State a 2-1 advantage. The Cats hit a match-best .343 in the set.
Mutiri and Zumach each recorded double-doubles and led K-State with 16 kills apiece. Zumach added 13 digs while Mutiri contributed a career-high 11 for the first double-double of her young career. Alyssa Schultejans also reached double-digit kills with 11.
K-State and OSU each tallied 15.0 team blocks, as the Wildcats were led by junior Elle Sandbothe with a career-best 10 block assists. The Wildcat defense recorded 6.0 team blocks in the final set to seal the victory.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams came off the bench to kill five balls on eight swings with just one error. Libero Devan Fairfield led K-State with 14 digs and setter Sarah Dixon added a career-high 48 assists along with nine digs and five blocks.
OSU was led by Maddie Goings, who registered 19 kills and seven digs. Amy Underdown had a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs.
K-STATE 3, NORTH TEXAS 0
K-State posted a season-high team hitting percentage of .363, hitting better than .350 in each set, and held a 46-30 edge in team kills in its sweep (25-18, 25-18, 25-21) of North Texas Friday afternoon in its first match of the K-State Invitational at Ahearn Field House.
The Wildcat defense limited North Texas to a .100 efficiency in the opening set before holding the Mean Green to .071 in the second set and opening a commanding 2-0 match lead. UNT had 17 kills through two sets and committed 12 attacking errors.
The Wildcats had four players record at least five kills, led by Zumach's 11. Macy Flowers and Mutiri each tallied nine kills while hitting .571 and .467, respectively. Flowers (3) and Mutiri (2) were the lone Wildcats to pick up multiple blocks in the match.
Dixon handed out a match-high 40 assists to go with nine digs and a block. Fairfield was the only player in the match to reach double-figure digs with 11.
K-State took the opening set, finishing on a 5-1 run after UNT climbed within three points at 20-17. Mutiri and Zumach each registered four kills while Sandbothe added three.
North Texas began Set 2 by scoring seven of the first 10 points, but K-State rattled off the next five out of a timeout and never relinquished its lead, closing on a 4-1 spurt to take a two-set lead. Flowers picked up five kills while Peyton Williams killed four balls on four swings.
In Set 3, UNT was within a point at 22-21 but the Cats responded by scoring the match's final three points for a straight-set victory. Zumach added a team-best five kills in the set while Flowers and Brynn Carlson each contributed four while Mutiri registered three.
UNT's Valerie Valerian led the Mean Green with 11 kills and eight digs while Rhett Robinson had eight kills and Jordyn Williams added six.
K-State held a 4.0-2.0 advantage in team blocks and a 4-3 edge in service aces, led by Zsofia Gyimes' two aces.
The Wildcats wrap up the K-State Invitational on Saturday, as they face Omaha at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN3 with coverage also available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Free, live audio is available on K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Following its straight-set victory over North Texas (3-5), K-State (7-1) rebounded from an opening-set loss to take the three straight sets from Oregon State (5-2).
"It's a tough day, seven games in one day," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "We maybe weren't as sharp (in the second match) as we were earlier in the day, as you might expect. But (Oregon State) had to do the same thing, it was even playing field. "
Trailing the Beavers 21-15 and in danger a two-set hole, the Wildcats closed the second set on a 10-1 run that included three kills from fifth-year senior Kylee Zumach and five straight points straight points served by Zsofia Gyimes to level the match.
"I didn't feel like we were managing our frustrations well, midway through Game 2," Fritz added. "Zsofia (Gyimes) had an incredibly important serving run at the end of that and then we started finally getting some stuff blocks and started doing things at the net that were big time at the end of Game 2. Once we got a little more connected, things started to turn."
In Set 3, a string of seven consecutive points handed the Beavers a four-point lead at 15-11. The Cats immediately responded with a 7-1 spurt to retake the lead, 18-16, and freshman Gloria Mutiri ended the set with one of her 16 kills to give K-State a 2-1 advantage. The Cats hit a match-best .343 in the set.
Mutiri and Zumach each recorded double-doubles and led K-State with 16 kills apiece. Zumach added 13 digs while Mutiri contributed a career-high 11 for the first double-double of her young career. Alyssa Schultejans also reached double-digit kills with 11.
K-State and OSU each tallied 15.0 team blocks, as the Wildcats were led by junior Elle Sandbothe with a career-best 10 block assists. The Wildcat defense recorded 6.0 team blocks in the final set to seal the victory.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams came off the bench to kill five balls on eight swings with just one error. Libero Devan Fairfield led K-State with 14 digs and setter Sarah Dixon added a career-high 48 assists along with nine digs and five blocks.
OSU was led by Maddie Goings, who registered 19 kills and seven digs. Amy Underdown had a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs.
K-STATE 3, NORTH TEXAS 0
K-State posted a season-high team hitting percentage of .363, hitting better than .350 in each set, and held a 46-30 edge in team kills in its sweep (25-18, 25-18, 25-21) of North Texas Friday afternoon in its first match of the K-State Invitational at Ahearn Field House.
The Wildcat defense limited North Texas to a .100 efficiency in the opening set before holding the Mean Green to .071 in the second set and opening a commanding 2-0 match lead. UNT had 17 kills through two sets and committed 12 attacking errors.
The Wildcats had four players record at least five kills, led by Zumach's 11. Macy Flowers and Mutiri each tallied nine kills while hitting .571 and .467, respectively. Flowers (3) and Mutiri (2) were the lone Wildcats to pick up multiple blocks in the match.
Dixon handed out a match-high 40 assists to go with nine digs and a block. Fairfield was the only player in the match to reach double-figure digs with 11.
K-State took the opening set, finishing on a 5-1 run after UNT climbed within three points at 20-17. Mutiri and Zumach each registered four kills while Sandbothe added three.
North Texas began Set 2 by scoring seven of the first 10 points, but K-State rattled off the next five out of a timeout and never relinquished its lead, closing on a 4-1 spurt to take a two-set lead. Flowers picked up five kills while Peyton Williams killed four balls on four swings.
In Set 3, UNT was within a point at 22-21 but the Cats responded by scoring the match's final three points for a straight-set victory. Zumach added a team-best five kills in the set while Flowers and Brynn Carlson each contributed four while Mutiri registered three.
UNT's Valerie Valerian led the Mean Green with 11 kills and eight digs while Rhett Robinson had eight kills and Jordyn Williams added six.
K-State held a 4.0-2.0 advantage in team blocks and a 4-3 edge in service aces, led by Zsofia Gyimes' two aces.
The Wildcats wrap up the K-State Invitational on Saturday, as they face Omaha at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN3 with coverage also available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Free, live audio is available on K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State hit a season-high .363 vs. North Texas and then posted a season-low efficiency of .186 against Oregon State.
- The Wildcats picked up a season-high 15.0 blocks vs. OSU.
- Zumach was the only Wildcat to reach double-figures in kills in both matches: 11 vs. UNT, 16 vs. Oregon State.
- Mutiri posted a career-high in kills (16), digs (11) and blocks (5) vs. the Beavers.
- Mutiri and Zumach each turned in double-doubles vs. OSU.
- K-State limited both opponents to a hitting percentage under .200 (OSU, .150; UNT, .163).
- K-State is now 3-1 all-time vs. North Texas and 2-3 in its history vs. Oregon State.
- The Wildcats were swept in 2017 by the Beavers in Corvallis.
- The Cats' 7-1 start is their best to begin a season since going 8-1 to begin 2015.
Team Stats
UNT
KSU
Kills
30
46
Errors
16
13
Attempts
86
91
Hitting %
.163
.363
Points
35.0
54.0
Assists
26
43
Aces
3
4
Blocks
2.0
4.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
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