KU volleyball drops home opener in five sets against No. 8 ASU

By Nathan Swaffar, Special to the Journal-World Sep 26, 2025

KU sophomore Grace Nelson (1) and freshman Aurora Papac (17) attempt to block a ball from Arizona State's Kiylah Presley during the Jayhawks' match on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

Coming into Friday night’s home and conference opener against eighth-ranked Arizona State, No. 18 Kansas volleyball was only 1-4 in five-set matches this season, and winless against ranked opponents in those games.

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, that trend continued as the Sun Devils spoiled Matt Ulmer’s home debut in a five-set defeat, with Arizona State winning the last set 15-11.

KU had few answers for Arizona State’s Noemie Glover, who finished with a game-high 25 kills with a .311 hitting percentage. Jovana Zelenović led the Jayhawks with 18 kills and a .250 hitting percentage. Grace Nelson added 12 kills and Reese Ptacek had 11.

Ulmer said there’s been a pattern in those five-set defeats, usually coming down to basics and a lack of focus in key moments.

“We just really break down in discipline in times where we really need it,” Ulmer said. “I think we can get them stuck in some rotations or pick apart their defense, and we just really go away from the game plan and it just plays in their favor. We’re just not very disciplined on offense, just in the choices that we make.”

Both teams committed numerous unforced errors in the first set, making for a sloppy showing early on. In addition, neither team hesitated to use its challenges early on, to the tune of six total in the first set. That also made it difficult for either side to find a rhythm with so many stoppages.

The Jayhawks (9-6, 0-1) had multiple set-point opportunities after taking a 24-22 lead, but the Sun Devils (10-2, 1-0) fought back to take the set further. After both squads had opportunities to take the opening game, the Jayhawks eventually found two straight points to win 30-28, giving them a critical 1-0 lead early on. There were a total of 17 ties and seven lead changes.

Although there was little momentum to be gained in the slow first set, Ulmer saw it as a positive for KU, slowing things down after the ugly beginning.

“We were amped to be at home, we were overpassing, overdigging a lot of balls over, swinging a lot of balls over because they were just so excited to be here,” Ulmer said. “The crowd was great and engaged. So I think it kind of slowed us down, maybe slowed the crowd down too, which is a bummer. But I think we kind of needed that reset.”

The poor hitting from both sides continued into the second set as neither found any type of offensive consistency, which made for another back-and-forth set. However, the Sun Devils picked up steam throughout the second half of the set. Arizona State eventually opened up a four-point advantage, which quickly grew to a six-point lead at 21-15, leading Ulmer to use his second timeout of the set. The stoppage gave KU a bit of life, as the Jayhawks brought the lead down to three at one point, but Arizona State went on to close out the set 25-21 to tie things up.

Into the third, the Sun Devils’ offense continued to heat up, raising their hitting percentage from under .075 at one point in the second set to .186 midway through the third. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks’ attack struggled to find a rhythm, only hitting .127 and trailing 15-13.

However, KU gained momentum, including a 4-0 scoring run to go up 20-17 before Arizona State called its second timeout of the set. After KU went up 23-18, the Sun Devils quickly fought back, coming within one point before the Jayhawks captured back-to-back points to close it out 25-22. Zelenović led the charge with six kills in the set, doubling her total from the first two.

But KU struggled in the fourth set as Arizona State took full advantage. The Sun Devils controlled the fourth almost wire-to-wire and ended up sending the affair to the fifth and final set with a 25-20 victory, before claiming their second straight game to finish off the match as a 3-2 loss for the Jayhawks (30-28, 21-25, 25-22, 20-25, 11-15).

Despite the lingering bad taste in the five-set defeats, Ulmer is still very confident in the direction the Jayhawks are heading.

“We’re not far,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep playing.”

KU returns to Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena to face Arizona on Sunday at 12 p.m.

KU freshman Aurora Papac jumps as the Jayhawks celebrate a point during their match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU sophomore Reese Ptacek works through her serve during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU senior Ryan White (left) and sophomore Grace Nelson receive the ball from Arizona State during the Jayhawks’ match on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU senior Ryan White dives to dig a ball during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

KU sophomore Grace Nelson waits for play to resume during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU senior Ryan White waits for an Arizona State serve during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU sophomore Grace Nelson (left) and redshirt junior Molly McCarthy high five as McCarthy comes onto the court during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU sophomore Cristin Cline sets the ball for a hitter during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU sophomore Reese Ptacek (10) and senior Rhian Swanson (4) attempt to block Arizona State’s Noemie Glover during the Jayhawks’ match on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU head coach Matt Ulmer yells out to his players during the Jayhawks’ match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

The KU volleyball team huddles during a break in the action of its match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU senior Rhian Swanson celebrates after the Jayhawks score a point during the match against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

KU senior Rhian Swanson sends the ball back over to Arizona State during the Jayhawks’ match on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.

The KU volleyball team huddles before taking on Arizona State for its first home match of the season on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

KU volleyball head coach Matt Ulmer watches as his team warms up prior to his first at home on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.