A year after the program’s first trip to the Final Four, Kansas volleyball opened up the 2016 NCAA Tournament Thursday night with a three-set sweep of Samford on the Jayhawks’ home floor at Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
Freshman Jada Burse put away a team-high 14 kills for KU (27-2) and junior setter Ainise Havili passed out 27 assists and got low for 14 digs as the Jayhawks advanced to the second round of the tournament. Kansas won 25-19, 25-21, 25-17.
The No. 5 overall seed in the field, Kansas will face Big East champion Creighton (27-6) at 6:30 p.m Friday night. The Bluejays survived a five-set scare against Northern Iowa to set up a rematch between KU and Creighton. Coach Ray Bechard’s team won on the Bluejays’ home court, in five sets, back in September.
Kansas enters Round 2 on a 15-match win streak, while the Bluejays have rattled off 21 straight.
KU is 10-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. In 2015, the Jayhawks went 4-1 in the postseason before losing in the national semifinals.
— Check back in at KUsports.com later for more on Kansas volleyball.
It’s a KU sweep of Samford to advance in the NCAA tourney. Zoe Hill kill to finish it. #kuvball pic.twitter.com/2cn8VOCIzV
— Benton Smith (@BentonASmith) December 2, 2016
