Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, September 20
Chapel Hill, N.C.
5 p.m.
Kansas State University
vs
East Carolina
Wildcats Close Non-Conference Slate with Five-Set Triumph
Sep 20, 2025 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Three Wildcats registered double-digit kills Saturday night to power K-State to its best start under third-year head coach Jason Mansfield, as the Wildcats outlasted East Carolina in five sets, 25-20, 21-25, 15-25, 25-22, 15-10, at Carmichael Arena.
In a battle that featured 37 ties and 14 lead changes, K-State (7-1) closed its non-conference slate by rallying from a one-sided third set to force a winner-take-all fifth. The Wildcats enter Big 12 play on a three-match winning streak, while ECU fell to 8-2 with the loss.
Shaylee Myers led all players with 23 kills, as the senior outside and opposite hitter registered her fourth career 20-kill match and third of the season. Aniya Clinton totaled 21 kills for her first match of the year with 20 or more kills, while Reagan Fox added 10.
Setter Ava LeGrand directed an offense that hit .225, dishing out a career-high 49 assists to go along with a career-best 22 digs for her fifth career double-double. Symone Sims also reached the 20-dig mark for the first time in her career, finishing with a personal-best 21.
FROM THE CATS
JASON MANSFIELD, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Overall comments…
"Another gritty win for our squad, we needed to battle after being down 1-2 and we did. So proud of how we competed as the match went on, especially in Set 4 and 5. Our defense was the difference in those last two sets. We finally slowed them down and Aniya [Clinton] and Shaylee [Myers] got hot offensively."
On heading into Big 12 play …
"Such a big character weekend for our team, we wanted to be battle tested on the road before Big 12 started and we obviously did against two really good teams, that are very well coached and will win a lot of matches this year. I was hopeful before the season started that we could go 7-1 or 6-2 so I'm really pleased with our non-conference finish. We are ready for Big 12 to start at home next weekend."
SET-BY-SET
Set 1 – K-State 25, ECU 20
INSIDE THE BOX
Big 12 play gets underway on Friday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m., when the Wildcats host Arizona (6-3) at Morgan Family Arena before facing No. 8 Arizona State (7-2) on Sunday, September 28, with first serve scheduled for 1 p.m.
– k-statesports.com –
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on the K-State Volleyball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
In a battle that featured 37 ties and 14 lead changes, K-State (7-1) closed its non-conference slate by rallying from a one-sided third set to force a winner-take-all fifth. The Wildcats enter Big 12 play on a three-match winning streak, while ECU fell to 8-2 with the loss.
Shaylee Myers led all players with 23 kills, as the senior outside and opposite hitter registered her fourth career 20-kill match and third of the season. Aniya Clinton totaled 21 kills for her first match of the year with 20 or more kills, while Reagan Fox added 10.
Setter Ava LeGrand directed an offense that hit .225, dishing out a career-high 49 assists to go along with a career-best 22 digs for her fifth career double-double. Symone Sims also reached the 20-dig mark for the first time in her career, finishing with a personal-best 21.
FROM THE CATS
JASON MANSFIELD, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Overall comments…
"Another gritty win for our squad, we needed to battle after being down 1-2 and we did. So proud of how we competed as the match went on, especially in Set 4 and 5. Our defense was the difference in those last two sets. We finally slowed them down and Aniya [Clinton] and Shaylee [Myers] got hot offensively."
On heading into Big 12 play …
"Such a big character weekend for our team, we wanted to be battle tested on the road before Big 12 started and we obviously did against two really good teams, that are very well coached and will win a lot of matches this year. I was hopeful before the season started that we could go 7-1 or 6-2 so I'm really pleased with our non-conference finish. We are ready for Big 12 to start at home next weekend."
SET-BY-SET
Set 1 – K-State 25, ECU 20
- K-State held a 13-9 edge in kills production with .400 hitting efficiency on 25 attempts with three errors, led by five kills from Clinton and Myers.
- The Wildcats served five aces in Set 1, with two coming from Emerson Van Lannen and Myers.
- ECU held K-State to a .139 hitting percentage in Set 2 with five blocks, including three from Aulie Huff.
- Both squads were evenly matched in kills with 13, however, the Pirates hit .324 and held K-State to .083 behind five blocks.
- After 10 lead changes, the Wildcats rallied behind a kill from Myers to start off a 4-0 closing run and force Set 5.
- K-State hit an incredible .550 with 11 kills and no errors, led by five kills from Clinton and Myers. The duo each hit over .500 with no errors in Set 5.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State won in five sets Friday night, 25-20, 21-25, 15-25, 25-22, 15-10, featuring 37 tie scores and 14 lead changes.
- Set 4 had 15 tie scores and 10 lead changes.
- Cats hit .225 (66 kills, 28 errors) against the Pirates .235 (54 kills, 19 errors).
- The Wildcats held a 7-6 edge in service aces, led by three from Emerson Van Lannen and Myers.
- Three Wildcats eclipsed the 10-kill mark led by Myers (23), followed by Clinton (20) and Reagan Fox (10).
- ECU out-blocked K-State, 13.0-8.0, while the Wildcats held a 65-61 edge in dig production.
- Four different players registered a block for K-State, with three recording multiple – Jordyn Williams (5), LeGrand (4), Myers (3).
- LeGrand turned in her second double-double of the season with 49 assists and 22 digs – setting career-bests in both categories – while Sims added 21 digs.
- Saturday marked the first meeting between the two squads in program history.
- K-State is off to its best start in the Mansfield era.
- Myers has recorded 15 or more kills in five consecutive matches, as she reached double figures in kills for the seven of eight matches this season.
- K-State finished its non-conference slate of the 2025 season, 6-1, moving to 14-11 in non-con matches under Mansfield.
- Clinton eclipsed the 20-kill mark for the first time this season – second of her career.
- LeGrand leads the Wildcats with five career double-doubles after totaling three last season.
Big 12 play gets underway on Friday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m., when the Wildcats host Arizona (6-3) at Morgan Family Arena before facing No. 8 Arizona State (7-2) on Sunday, September 28, with first serve scheduled for 1 p.m.
– k-statesports.com –
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on the K-State Volleyball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballK-State VB | Recap vs Northern Colorado
Monday, September 15
K-State VB | Recap vs Nevada
Sunday, September 07
K-State VB | Match Highlights vs Nevada
Friday, September 05
MATCH REPLAY | VB vs Nevada
Friday, September 05