After a one-day break, Kansas University came out sluggish but still swept University of Missouri-Kansas City, 15-10, 15-9, 15-4, in volleyball Monday at Horejsi Center.
The layoff was apparent early in the first game as KU (10-1) fell behind 3-0 before fighting back to a 4-4 tie and then scored 11 of the next 17 points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
“We took a day off (Sunday) and I think some of that was trying to get back in the flow a little bit,” KU coach Ray Bechard said. “It was not a clean game one at all.”
An 8-1 run in the second game gave the Jayhawks a 10-4 lead and KU went up 14-6 but had trouble putting the Kangaroos (3-8) away. UMKC staved off six game points before Jordan Garrison spiked the ball for the game-winning point.
Garrison, a freshman from Aurora, Ill., was playing because senior middle blocker Danielle Geronymo was suffering abdominal pains. Garrison finished with eight kills and three block assists.
“I think I did pretty well,” Garrison said. “I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t find out until (Monday) afternoon that she wasn’t playing.”
Bechard was pleased with the freshman’s performance.
“I thought Jordan Garrison really did a nice job stepping in,” he said. “It’s good for her to get some time and that strengthens your bench. Anytime you can bring somebody in and get experience like that, that’s going to be helpful down the stretch.”
The Jayhawks finally put together a full performance in the final game with a match-high .409 attack percentage while holding UMKC to a -.065 attack percentage. KU scored 13 of the last 14 points, including the final five.
The Jayhawks’ serving was strong. KU finished with eight aces with only seven errors.
“The one thing we did well was serve the ball,” Bechard said. “Anytime you have more aces than errors, that’s a real quality stat.”
Sophomore defensive specialist and Free State High graduate Jamie Morningstar set a career-high with 11 digs in the match.
Morningstar and Garrison’s performances were good news to the Jayhawks, who will need every cylinder running at full speed Wednesday at home against physical and No. 1-ranked Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are 9-0 and have lost only three games this year.
“Like I was just telling the team, it’s going to get a lot more interesting in here Wednesday night,” Bechard said. “We’re going to have to be a lot more attentive to detail and I think we will be.”
