SE: K-State Volleyball Prepared to Deliver “Under the Lights”
Aug 23, 2021 | Volleyball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
On the court, Suzie Fritz was focused on different lineups, personnel changes and preparing K-State Volleyball to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.
But throughout Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday, with fans in the stands and music bumping, she was focused on creating the experience and the pressure of a game day in Manhattan.
"All of the emotions that come with that opportunity, our [athletic staff] did a great job putting together a good environment," Fritz said. "The preseason matters."
The score against Kansas City - a four-set win for the Wildcats - didn't count in Saturday's exhibition match, but there were plenty of moments that mattered against the Roos.
K-State dropped the first set, an uncharacteristic start for a team that took care of schools like West Virginia, Kansas and Iowa State on their way to a third-place finish in the Big 12 in 2020.
But after shaking off the slow start on Saturday, the Wildcats flew out to a 19-8 lead in the second set against Kansas City. Even in an exhibition match, that kind of response matters.
"We weren't very good at the beginning. Sometimes if you get revved up and you're trying to play fast, it can change the rhythm of things," Fritz said. "That was the test we hoped it would be. Play under the lights and work out those first-match jitters before it actually counts."
The K-State head coach said her team was prioritizing their offensive approach against the Roos, with a new opposite in Florida transfer Haley Warner alongside a strong group of hitters.
Aliyah Carter paced the offense with 15 kills, while Warner and middle blocker Kadye Fernholz each threw down 12.
For Warner, Saturday afternoon was a chance to build connections with her new teammates.
"The team has been extremely welcoming and made it a really easy process for me," she said. "KC is a really good team and we're going to see a lot of that in conference play. We love to play against each other, but it's great to have that experience against other people."
For the returning Wildcats, Saturday's match was about preparing for a packed non-conference schedule.
Fritz pointed out that - even with a volleyball season that runs through Thanksgiving - the Wildcats will play almost half of their matches before the end of September. Now's the time for players to show they belong.
Enter Kayley Hollywood. The middle blocker appeared in just three matches a season ago but got the start against Kansas City and provided some opportunistic offense for K-State Volleyball.
Her kill at the end of the third set helped keep the momentum on the K-State side of the net, and certainly drew one of the bigger reactions of the afternoon from her teammates.
"She brings a lot of positivity to the team," Fernholz said. "She never gets down on herself and emotionally brings us together."
Another spark came from Mackenzie Morris, who led the Wildcats in digs and aces in 2020. With the sophomore on serve, K-State ran off an eight-point run in the second set, before her game-winning ace closed out a tightly contested fourth set, 30-28.
"We upgraded pretty significantly serving as the match went on. I think that was the big difference in game two," Fritz said. "Mackenzie Morris opened it up with a point-scoring run, and we had a couple of other people do the same. The big difference there for me was serving."
K-State will head to Lincoln this week to begin their season at the Husker Invitational, matching up with Colgate, Tulsa and a former Big 12 rival in No. 5 Nebraska.
Their first match that counts? Friday morning at 9 a.m. against Colgate. But after this weekend's exhibition, the 'Cats are confident they can deliver when the lights come on.
"When everyone does their job, great things happen," Warner said. "That's all we can ask for."
On the court, Suzie Fritz was focused on different lineups, personnel changes and preparing K-State Volleyball to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.
But throughout Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday, with fans in the stands and music bumping, she was focused on creating the experience and the pressure of a game day in Manhattan.
"All of the emotions that come with that opportunity, our [athletic staff] did a great job putting together a good environment," Fritz said. "The preseason matters."
The score against Kansas City - a four-set win for the Wildcats - didn't count in Saturday's exhibition match, but there were plenty of moments that mattered against the Roos.
K-State dropped the first set, an uncharacteristic start for a team that took care of schools like West Virginia, Kansas and Iowa State on their way to a third-place finish in the Big 12 in 2020.
But after shaking off the slow start on Saturday, the Wildcats flew out to a 19-8 lead in the second set against Kansas City. Even in an exhibition match, that kind of response matters.
Crew so icy 🥶 #KStateVB x #BuiltDifferent pic.twitter.com/gPwZzuyK8P
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) August 22, 2021
"We weren't very good at the beginning. Sometimes if you get revved up and you're trying to play fast, it can change the rhythm of things," Fritz said. "That was the test we hoped it would be. Play under the lights and work out those first-match jitters before it actually counts."
The K-State head coach said her team was prioritizing their offensive approach against the Roos, with a new opposite in Florida transfer Haley Warner alongside a strong group of hitters.
Aliyah Carter paced the offense with 15 kills, while Warner and middle blocker Kadye Fernholz each threw down 12.
For Warner, Saturday afternoon was a chance to build connections with her new teammates.
"The team has been extremely welcoming and made it a really easy process for me," she said. "KC is a really good team and we're going to see a lot of that in conference play. We love to play against each other, but it's great to have that experience against other people."
For the returning Wildcats, Saturday's match was about preparing for a packed non-conference schedule.
Fritz pointed out that - even with a volleyball season that runs through Thanksgiving - the Wildcats will play almost half of their matches before the end of September. Now's the time for players to show they belong.
Enter Kayley Hollywood. The middle blocker appeared in just three matches a season ago but got the start against Kansas City and provided some opportunistic offense for K-State Volleyball.
Her kill at the end of the third set helped keep the momentum on the K-State side of the net, and certainly drew one of the bigger reactions of the afternoon from her teammates.
"She brings a lot of positivity to the team," Fernholz said. "She never gets down on herself and emotionally brings us together."
Another spark came from Mackenzie Morris, who led the Wildcats in digs and aces in 2020. With the sophomore on serve, K-State ran off an eight-point run in the second set, before her game-winning ace closed out a tightly contested fourth set, 30-28.
.@mackenzmorris22 😏#KStateVB x #BuiltDifferent pic.twitter.com/Edrm1bXGZ7
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) August 22, 2021
"We upgraded pretty significantly serving as the match went on. I think that was the big difference in game two," Fritz said. "Mackenzie Morris opened it up with a point-scoring run, and we had a couple of other people do the same. The big difference there for me was serving."
K-State will head to Lincoln this week to begin their season at the Husker Invitational, matching up with Colgate, Tulsa and a former Big 12 rival in No. 5 Nebraska.
Their first match that counts? Friday morning at 9 a.m. against Colgate. But after this weekend's exhibition, the 'Cats are confident they can deliver when the lights come on.
"When everyone does their job, great things happen," Warner said. "That's all we can ask for."
Players Mentioned
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