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Wednesday, Aug.19, 2015
SPORTS | KANSAN.COM
9C
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Back from Europe, Kansas prepares for season
AMIE JUST
@Amie_Just
Kansas middle blocker Taylor Soucie attempts to hit over the head of a TCU defender on October 18, 2014.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The Kansas volleyball squad took to Europe to gear up for the upcoming season this summer.
The Jayhawks trained in Italy, France and Spain for 13 days and played matches against the Italian National Team (0-3), Italian Federation Youth Team (3-2), LPM Mondavi (3-1), Normac AVB Genoa (3-0), French Federation Youth Team (3-0), (3-2) and Voleibol Barcelona CVB Barca (3-0).
The team finished its European training trip with a 6-1 record.
"We play(ed) seven matches in 12 days, which is more professional-league style" coach Ray Bechard said in a press release after the final match. "We would've liked to have played that first match (against the Italian National Team) maybe somewhere in the middle of the trip when we were a little bit more adjusted. I just told the team that I'm very proud of how they represented Kansas with every opponent they played."
Official statistics were not kept in the European matches, but associate athletic director Jim Marchiony kept some statistics from the sideline for team use.
Junior libero Cassie Wait recorded at least two aces against the Italian Federation Youth Team. Sophomore outside hitter Kelsie Payne knocked down at least nine kills and sophomore outside hitter Madison Rigdon added at least four kills against LPM Mondavi. Payne paced the offense against Norman AVB Genoa with an unofficial 21 kills in three sets.
A look at the new players
Kansas has two incoming freshmen to fill the vacancy
graduating seniors Chelsea Albers and Sara McClinton leave: outside hitters Ashley Smith and Patricia Montero.
Smith comes to Lawrence from Las Vegas and was named conference MVP her senior season. She led Shadow Ridge High School to its first state championship in school history.
Montero is from Ponce, Puerto Rico, where she played for the Puerto Rican National Team. Despite being 5-foot-10, Montero was the fourth best scorer at the U18 Pan American Cup in 2013.
Aside from the two freshmen, the Jayhawks added two transfers: Anna Church, a senior libero/defensive specialist from Saint Louis University, and Ashlyn Driskill, a senior outside hitter from Wichita
Church was on the floor in all 31 matches for SLU last season, posting 1,073 career digs and 75 career aces during her time as a Billiken.
State. Church's transfer was announced in January, while Driskill's was announced in June.
Driskill, on the other hand,
started in 16 matches for the
Shockers last season, racking
up 713 career kills and 165
career blocks.
Kansas volleyball starts the season on the road at the Arkansas Tournament in Fayetteville, Ark. The Jayhawks first match is set for August 28 against Army, at 4 p.m.
- Edited by James Hoyt
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
15.2014
Coach Ray Bechard speaks with his team between games on Oct. 25, 2014.
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