John HenryThe Kansas University volleyball squad had every opportunity to complete the program’s first season sweep of Missouri since 1999.
In the end, KU couldn’t come through on Saturday at Horejsi Center and fell to MU in five games, 3-2 (30-32, 30-22, 33-31, 26-30, 15-12).
“They had a three-point swing in Game 5, we had a three-point swing which made it even, but we gave them one more three-point swing, and you can’t overcome that in a shorter game,” KU coach Ray Bechard said. “I told the team if we continue that kind of fight and perseverance then there’s an opportunity for success down the road.”
Kansas (10-13, 3-10 in conference) actually had to win the first game twice because of an error on the scoreboard.
The two teams already had switched benches after it was assumed the final was 30-28, but switched back when it was realized the score was 30-29 and the Jayhawks hadn’t won by two points.
“That’s the weirdest thing I have ever come across in a match,” KU senior Emily Brown said. “I kind of wish now they would have counted that as winning twice.”
Brown did all she could in her final match against the Tigers. The Baldwin native tallied her sixth triple-double of the year with 17 kills, 29 assists and 15 digs.
The Jayhawks didn’t pick up their victories in conventional fashion. Kansas collected 14 attacking errors in each of its two victories, while limiting the mistakes to just five per game in the three losses.
Junior Natalie Uhart was KU’s main threat at the net both attacking and on defense. Uhart had a team-high 19 kills along with 12 blocks.
“I was trying to be careful, but for the most part it was just ‘swing away,'” Uhart said.
Kansas extended its longest losing streak of the season to five, and with seven conference games remaining KU is guaranteed to finish no better than .500 in Big 12 play.
“Our long-term goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament, and we still have plenty of opportunities to do that,” Brown said. “That’s still our goal, and it’s still a totally doable goal.”
