Senior Day at Horejsi Family Athletics Center had all the necessary ingredients for memories.
Parents, friends and family members of Kansas seniors Nancy Bell, Danielle Geronymo, Sara Kidd and Amy Myatt were in attendance to cheer the Jayhawk seniors, who fell to Missouri, 15-9, 15-12, 15-8.
“We talked all week about putting the focus on tonight’s match and not the fact that it was our seniors’ last home match,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “However, we just didn’t do the little things to get the job done tonight.”
Bell led the Kansas offense with 18 kills.
Geronymo recorded eight kills and a team-high 13 digs for the Jayhawks. As a team, Missouri had four players with at least 10 kills led by Naaron Branson who recorded 15.
“If you keep trading blows with a team like Missouri, it gives them a chance to stay in the game,” Bechard said. “They are a very good team and they make things happen.”
KU’s Myatt, who entered needing 20 kills to break the school-record for most kills in a season, recorded 12 and now must wait until next Saturday to attempt to break the 13-year-old Kansas record.
Judy Desch currently holds the mark of 450 kills in a season which she set in 1987.
Following the game, each senior team member gave a brief farewell speech before entering the locker room.
“I want to thank coach who taught me not only about volleyball, but about life,” Kidd said, holding back tears.
Myatt emphasized how “awesome” Kansas fans are.
The Jayhawks will travel to Oklahoma for a match next Friday.
“All in all this has been a good experience, and I had a good match,” Bell said.
“(The next match) is a match we can win, and it’s a good way to end my season and career.”
Kansas is 14-14 overall and 5-14 in the Big 12. Missouri is 23-5, 13-5. KU leads the all-time series with MU, 32-31.
