KU volleyball tumbles

Razorbacks win by razor-thin margin

Posted Sunday, September 10, 2006

Like a swinging pendulum, momentum shifted between Kansas University and the University of Arkansas, but Arkansas eventually won the close match in five games Saturday afternoon.

“Phyically, both teams matched up very well,” KU coach Ray Bechard said. “There was a lot of firepower on both sides.”

Exemplifying the similar talent level, the first game featured five ties after a 27-27 score, and Arkansas (7-1) won, 35-33. Kansas then won game two, 30-27, lost game three, 30-26, won game four, 30-25, and lost the final game, 15-11.

The Jayhawks (7-2) must recover from the heartbreaking loss quickly. They will face top-ranked Nebraska on Tuesday.

“This week’s going to be tough,” senior Jana Correa said.

The Jayhawks lost despite notching 23 more kills than Arkansas. Ten missed serves led to the Jayhawks’ undoing.

“That’s instant points right there. We had to really grind it out to earn ours,” Bechard said. “In a match that close, that has the tendency to put the other team over the edge a little bit.”

Photo by Rachel Seymour

Kansas University freshman setter Katie Martincich (2) sets up freshman middle blocker Brittany Williams for a spike during warmups. Arkansas defeated Kansas, 3-2, Saturday at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

Despite the missed serves, Kansas featured many strong individual performances. Junior Emily Brown, a preseason All-Big-12 selection, had 22 kills and 18 digs. Sophomore Savannah Noyes recorded a career-high with 20 kills.

“Everybody was doing so well today,” Brown said. “We didn’t have to rely on one person.”

The play of Correa, in particular, is encouraging. The senior, who underwent reconstructive knee surgery three seasons ago and again last year, had 18 kills and 15 digs.

“I feel OK,” Correa said. “My knees are holding up well.”

She said her knee brace constricted her movement, but one would never know by her performance.

Brown accompanied her performance with constant jubilation. After scoring a point, she often struck a pose, pumped her fist or extended her arms like an airplane.

“I play better when I’m excited,” Brown said. “I play better when I’m having fun and loose.”

Perhaps she fed off the raucous atmosphere at the Horesji Family Athletics Center. The chant of “Who’s house? Ray’s house!” resonated among the 1,051 in attendance. Those in the crowd included KU basketball coach Bill Self, KU forward Julian Wright and former point guard Aaron Miles.

KU will enter another fervent environment when it heads to Lincoln, Neb., but Bechard likes coming in as the underdog.

“Maybe it puts a little more pressure on them,” he said. “So we get in relaxed, be very aggressive and hopefully we can have a good outcome.”

The outcome of Saturday’s match seemed to hang in the balance several times.

“It’s just good volleyball — back and forth,” Brown said. “It could have gone either way at any point.”