6B
VOLLEYBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2006
Errors costly as Kansas falls in five games to Texas Tech
BY DREW DAVISON
The Kansas volleyball team's quest for its fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance took a blow when it lost to Texas Tech Saturday night in the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
The Jayhawks lost a five-game match 30-27, 28-30, 30-22, 28-30 and 9-15. Kansas committed 37 hitting errors on the night, which gave Tech the advantage.
"We are at the point in the season where execution is more important than effort," Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. "You can try as hard as you want, but you have got to make the plays."
The Jayhawks' postseason dreams are fading because the team will need to win five of its final seven matches to qualify for the tournament. Kansas has yet to win a road conference match this season and four of its next
seven matches are on the road.
"I challenged this team," Bechard said. "What is November going to be like? Because you need to forget talking about the NCAA tournament, forget talking about this, we just need to worry about becoming a better team."
Jamie Mathewson, senior libero,
knows that a lot can change in the
last month.
"There are a lot of games left, even though it doesn't feel like it," she said. "We only have a couple of home opportunities left and that is where we have to win."
In the first game, Kansas took its first lead, 18-17, after a six-point unanswered run. The Jayhawks never trailed again, defeating the Red Raiders by three.
Kansas kept game two close before Tech pulled away late, winning by two. The Jayhawks had 10 errors but the Red Raiders had just five.
The jayhawks came out strong in game three, winning by eight. Savannah Noyes, sophomore middle blocker, led Kansas with six kills in the game.
Noyes said the team passed really well, which helped her to a teamhigh 23 kills in the match.
Kansas could not close the door on Tech in game four. Tied at 25, the Red Raiders outscored the Jahwakes 5-3 to send the match to a fifth game. Tech outside hitter Philister Sang had 10 kills in the game.
"She seemed to get better as the night went on," Bechard said. "She was an All-Big 12 player last year, and she showed it tonight."
Texas Tech went on an eight-point unanswered run to take the lead in the final game 10-4. The Jayhawks rallied too late and the Red Raiders took the final game by six.
Bechard said there was still a full month of volleyball to be played. He
Senior outside hitter Jana Correa just misses a hit from the Red Raiders Saturday night at the Horeisi Family Athletics Center. The Jayhawks lost the five-game match 3-2.
Mindv Ricketts/KANSAN
said teams going through a "funk" would either get better or fade.
"We will not fade," Bechard said. "I guarantee you that won't happen."
their next two matches. They travel to Austin, Texas, to face No. 8 Texas on Wednesday and play at Iowa State Saturday.
The Jayhawks are on the road for
Kansan sportswriter Drew Davison can be contacted at ddavison@kansan.com.
— Edited by Catherine Odson
Jayhawk fans, players support breast cancer awareness
BY JEFF DETERS
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
Sophomore middle blocker Savannah Noyes returns a hit from the Red Raiders Saturday night at the Horeisi Family Athletic Center. Noyes matched the match with 23 kills.
Kansas lost in five games to Texas Tech on Saturday night, but the night was devoted to more than just a volleyball game.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Jayhawk volleyball team showed its support for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by participating in "Dig for the Cure."
Assistant coach Christi Posey played a large roll in Kansas' participating in "Dig for the Cure." She said that while the outcome of the game wasn't what Kansas had hoped for, the opportunity to raise money for a good cause was a welcomed opportunity.
"We certainly value community service," Posey said. "And we thought
this was a great way for us to help."
Though Kansas lost the match by scores of 30-27, 28-30, 30-22, 28-30, 9-15, the Jawhays recorded 89 digs.
Senior libero Jamie Mathewson led the Jayhawk defensive attack with 23 digs. Senior outside hitter Jana Correa contributed 22 digs and junior right side hitter Emily Brown had 17. All three players were just one dig short of tying their career high, and each of them made several diving attempts to keep Kansas rallies alive.
Coach Ray Bechard was disappointed by the outcome, but he was pleased with Matthewson's effort.
"I thought she was great defensively," Bechard said. "I think she exemplifies what you want in a libero."
While Matthewson spent much of
her Saturday night running around the court, Posey said for the past couple weeks the volleyball team had been actively seeking pledges and donations from members of the community.
"I thought our kids really went with it in getting pledges," Posey said. "I think our kids feel good about the project and how they helped."
To further show their support, the volleyball team wore pink ribbons in their hair during the game. Pink ribbons were handed out to fans, and pink Kansas T-shirts were thrown out to fans every time Kansas had a serving ace. The team had seven serving aces in the game.
One fan who was lucky enough to win a free pink T-shirt was Sean Allhouse, Lenexa sophomore. He won his shirt at the fan serve between
games two and three, Allshouse and his friends have been regulars at volleyball matches this season and usually wore blue shirts or painted themselves blue.
To show their support Saturday, Allhouse and friends got creative. They painted themselves pink and spelled out the word "ljywahws" in blue lettering across their chests.
"None of us had any pink T-shirts," he said. "This was the easiest way to do it. And it was for a better cause."
The amount of money raised was not available this weekend.
Kansan sportswriter Jeff Deters can be contacted at jdeters@kansan.com.
— Edited by Kristen Jarboe
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