Kansas University’s volleyball team couldn’t buck a recent trend against Texas.
The Jayhawks suffered their third five-game loss in the past four matches when Texas upended KU, 7-15, 15-13, 16-14, 15-17, 15-11, on Saturday night at the Horejsi Center.
“They just stepped up a little more in Game Five,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “They got a little lead and rallied and it’s very difficult to make that up.”
Texas, now 12-0 all time against KU, improved to 4-10 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12.
Meanwhile, KU dipped to 11-6 and 2-6.
The Longhorns’ Gipy Duarte’s 11 kills she finished with a team-high 28 helped the Longhorns in a pivotal second game.
“Gipy was the difference tonight,” Bechard said. “She’s coming off an injury but she really came back tonight. If Texas would have had her in some of their earlier matches this year, she definitely would have made a difference.”
The Longhorns won a back-and-forth battle for the lead in the third game, ultimately edging out a win.
Service errors cost the Jayhawks in Game Four, but they managed to win 17-15 off a block from Kylie Thomas and Molly LaMere, who finished with a match-high 84 assists.
Texas made the most of its sideouts in winning the deciding game, 15-11.
KU’s Danielle Geronymo notched the school’s first triple-double (21 kills/18 digs/11 blocks) since the Jayhawks joined the Big 12 in 1996.
KU’s Amy Myatt had a career-high 34 kills.
“Everyone was supportive as a team, whether they were on the bench or on the floor,” said Myatt. “Regardless of what happened, I felt good because there was always someone right there for (us) celebrating and helping out.”
