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No. 11 Cats Finish Five-Set Battle at Texas Tech
Nov 06, 2020 | Volleyball
LUBBOCK, Texas – With four players reaching double-digit kills, the 11th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats outlasted Texas Tech in five sets on Friday at United Supermarkets Arena, 25-16, 12-25, 25-15, 20-25, 17-15.
In the final set, K-State (7-4, 7-4 Big 12) erased a three-point deficit and fought off match point in a closing 8-3 run. The Wildcats got kills from Holly Bonde, Brynn Carlson, Kadye Fernholz and Jayden Nembhard during that finishing stretch, as each logged at least 10 kills in the team's seventh five-set match of the season (5-2).
"One of the things I like most about this team is their competitiveness, and I think it really showed up late when we really needed it," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "Abigail Archibong brings a great deal of competitiveness. Holly Bonde showed incredible composure down the stretch and I thought Jayden Nembhard came in and played incredibly well. And our liberos made some really significant plays late in the match that gave us opportunities to score.
"They showed really nice composure, I think right now it's just about consistency."
Nembhard led the Cats with 14 kills while hitting .257. Bonde and Carlson both chipped in a dozen while Fernholz added 10 at a team-high .409 clip. Bonde, Carlson and Nembhard all contributed three kills in the winner-take-all fifth set, with Bonde needing just four swings.
Defensively, K-State picked up 11 team blocks, with Archibong leading the way with seven total blocks (1 solo, 6 assists). Mackenzie Morris paced all players with 24 digs, matching her career high, while Dru Kuck had 15 and Loren Hinkle tallied 10. K-State owned an 80-71 edge in total digs and five Wildcats picked up multiple blocks.
"I think Texas Tech is a good volleyball team, first," Fritz added. "I think they dig a lot of ball and I thought they served us exceptionally well. But we felt some pretty extreme ebbs and flows. We would hit .400 in game three and then in game four we'd hit .160. I think for us, right now, is just a matter of consistency because I think when we play really good volleyball, we can play with anybody."
K-State used four team blocks to limit the Red Raiders to a .000 hitting percentage, forcing TTU into as many errors (8) as it had kills. Archibong picked up four total blocks in the opening frame while Carlson added three. Carlson and Fernholz led the offense with three kills apiece.
With the score sitting at 14-14, the Wildcats scored nine of the next 10 points in finishing on an 11-2 stretch in claiming the first set.
Tech evened the match, winning set two behind five aces and five blocks. K-State hit -.074 in the set, committing eight attacking errors while collecting just six kills. TTU put together scoring runs of four points and six points before closing on a 6-1 burst. Samantha Sanders led the Red Raiders with four kills at a .375 clip.
In the third set with just a two-point lead, 14-12, the Cats pushed the lead to seven after they rattled off five straight points. K-State held TTU to a .086 team efficiency in the set while hitting producing a match-best .406 hitting percentage. Bonde, Fernholz and Nembhard all added four kills to their match totals in the frame while Morris collected seven digs.
Despite seven kills by Nembhard in the fourth, the Red Raiders forced a fifth set by racking up 18 kills as a team. Sanders picked up seven kills as TTU never trailed. K-State clawed within two points late at 21-19, before a 4-1 Tech stretch ended the stanza.
Sanders went on to lead all players with 18 kills and Brooke Kanas added 11. Tech served up nine aces, with three apiece coming from Lindsey Dodson and Mackenzie Morgan.
The Wildcats and Red Raiders wrap up the two-match set on Saturday at 1 p.m. The match will be available on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Fans can also listen to Rob Voelker call the action at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
In the final set, K-State (7-4, 7-4 Big 12) erased a three-point deficit and fought off match point in a closing 8-3 run. The Wildcats got kills from Holly Bonde, Brynn Carlson, Kadye Fernholz and Jayden Nembhard during that finishing stretch, as each logged at least 10 kills in the team's seventh five-set match of the season (5-2).
"One of the things I like most about this team is their competitiveness, and I think it really showed up late when we really needed it," said head coach Suzie Fritz. "Abigail Archibong brings a great deal of competitiveness. Holly Bonde showed incredible composure down the stretch and I thought Jayden Nembhard came in and played incredibly well. And our liberos made some really significant plays late in the match that gave us opportunities to score.
"They showed really nice composure, I think right now it's just about consistency."
Nembhard led the Cats with 14 kills while hitting .257. Bonde and Carlson both chipped in a dozen while Fernholz added 10 at a team-high .409 clip. Bonde, Carlson and Nembhard all contributed three kills in the winner-take-all fifth set, with Bonde needing just four swings.
Defensively, K-State picked up 11 team blocks, with Archibong leading the way with seven total blocks (1 solo, 6 assists). Mackenzie Morris paced all players with 24 digs, matching her career high, while Dru Kuck had 15 and Loren Hinkle tallied 10. K-State owned an 80-71 edge in total digs and five Wildcats picked up multiple blocks.
"I think Texas Tech is a good volleyball team, first," Fritz added. "I think they dig a lot of ball and I thought they served us exceptionally well. But we felt some pretty extreme ebbs and flows. We would hit .400 in game three and then in game four we'd hit .160. I think for us, right now, is just a matter of consistency because I think when we play really good volleyball, we can play with anybody."
K-State used four team blocks to limit the Red Raiders to a .000 hitting percentage, forcing TTU into as many errors (8) as it had kills. Archibong picked up four total blocks in the opening frame while Carlson added three. Carlson and Fernholz led the offense with three kills apiece.
With the score sitting at 14-14, the Wildcats scored nine of the next 10 points in finishing on an 11-2 stretch in claiming the first set.
Tech evened the match, winning set two behind five aces and five blocks. K-State hit -.074 in the set, committing eight attacking errors while collecting just six kills. TTU put together scoring runs of four points and six points before closing on a 6-1 burst. Samantha Sanders led the Red Raiders with four kills at a .375 clip.
In the third set with just a two-point lead, 14-12, the Cats pushed the lead to seven after they rattled off five straight points. K-State held TTU to a .086 team efficiency in the set while hitting producing a match-best .406 hitting percentage. Bonde, Fernholz and Nembhard all added four kills to their match totals in the frame while Morris collected seven digs.
Despite seven kills by Nembhard in the fourth, the Red Raiders forced a fifth set by racking up 18 kills as a team. Sanders picked up seven kills as TTU never trailed. K-State clawed within two points late at 21-19, before a 4-1 Tech stretch ended the stanza.
Sanders went on to lead all players with 18 kills and Brooke Kanas added 11. Tech served up nine aces, with three apiece coming from Lindsey Dodson and Mackenzie Morgan.
The Wildcats and Red Raiders wrap up the two-match set on Saturday at 1 p.m. The match will be available on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Fans can also listen to Rob Voelker call the action at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State hit .195 as a team (57 kills, 26 errors, 159 attacks).
- Texas Tech turned in a .173 hitting percentage (53 kills, 25 errors, 162 swings).
- Four Wildcats reached double-digit kills, led by Nembhard's 14.
- Fernholz's 10 kills came at a career-best .409 efficiency.
- Five Cats picked up multiple blocks, including seven by Archibong.
- Morris' 24 digs led all players and matched her career high.
- Morris has led K-State in digs in all 11 matches this season.
- K-State recorded 80 digs to the Red Raiders' 71.
- Tech served up nine aces to the Cats' six.
- K-State leads the all-time series 39-14.
- The Cats are 16-9 on the road in the series.
- Fritz is 31-8 in her career against TTU.
- The Wildcats have played seven five-set matches this season, going 5-2.
Team Stats
KState
TTU
Kills
57
53
Errors
26
25
Attempts
159
162
Hitting %
.195
.173
Points
74
74
Assists
55
49
Aces
6
9
Blocks
11
12
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
MB/OPP
/ VolleyballOPP/OH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ VolleyballK-State Volleyball | Cinematic Recap vs #14 KU
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K-State VB | Recap @ KU
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K-State VB | Recap vs Texas Tech
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K-State Volleyball | Match Highlights vs Texas Tech
Saturday, October 11