Kansas 3, Texas 2
AUSTIN, Texas - The University of Texas surrendered a 2-0 lead and fell to Kansas, 3-2, in Big 12 Conference volleyball action at Gregory Gym on Saturday before 2,133 fans. The loss snapped Texas' (11-12, 6-8 Big 12) five-match winning streak at home. Kansas (16-9, 8-6 Big 12) used victories in games three, four and five to take the match, 26-30, 28-30, 30-16, 30-21, 15-9.
Four Jayhawks recorded double-figure kills, led by Sarah Rome (23) Ashley Michaels (22), and five players had double-figure digs. For Texas, junior Bethany Howden (Austin, Texas/Westlake) paced the Longhorns' attack, registering 24 kills. Junior Mira Topic (Kastela Kambelovac, Croatia/Vladimir Nazor) added 14 kills and 15 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
Texas also welcomed back freshman starter Brandy Magee (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley), who had missed the previous three matches after returning home to attend to a family emergency. She was welcomed with a rousing round of applause during the introduction of the starting lineup, then cheered emphatically by the crowd when she recorded her first kill of the night in the first game. Magee, who switched her uniform number from 4 to 44 in member of her father who recently passed away, had eight kills, two aces and two blocks in her return to the lineup.
"We let this match slip through our hands tonight," Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott said after the match. "We stuck to our systems to start the match, but then we got complacent later. Kansas capitalized on that came back to win another five-game match against us this year."
Earlier this season, Kansas held a 2-0 lead in Lawrence before Texas won the third and fourth games to force a fifth game, which KU won. In total, Kansas has played 12 five-game matches this season.
In the fifth and decisive game, KU ran off four straight points to move to 8-4 and secure the game. Texas responded with its own 4-0 lead to come within one point, 9-8, but Kansas closed the match with a 6-1 to take the win. Sarah Rome recorded three of the Jayhawks' final five points, including the winning kill.
The Longhorns came out of the gates strong, winning the first two games. The team dominated the net, hitting for .317 in the first game and .323 in the second, while limiting the Jayhawks to percentages of .196 and .176 in the first two games. Howden recorded 11 of her 24 kills in the first two games.
In the third, Kansas used the momentum of building a 21-5 lead to steam roll through the rest of the match. Texas tried to come back from the steep deficit, stringing together five straight points to pull to 29-16, but Kansas took the game on a Michaels kill. The Jayhawks scorched the net, hitting for .429 in the third, while limiting Texas to a .129 mark.
The Jayhawks continued the strong play in the fourth, pulling out to a 14-7 lead on their way to the win and forcing a fifth game.
Texas returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 12 when the team travels to Lincoln, Neb., to face No. 10 Nebraska in an 8 p.m. match. College Sports Television (CSTV) is scheduled to air the match live.
