The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
Volleyball tops Kansas State in five games, 3-2
10.06.2007 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Despite dropping games two and four, the seventh-ranked Texas Volleyball team rallied to knock off No. 17 Kansas State, 3-2 (30-26, 25-30, 30-27, 22-30, 15-9) Saturday night at Ahearn Fieldhouse. The victory moved the Longhorns to 10-3 on the year and 5-1 in Big 12 Conference play, while the Wildcats dropped to 13-5 overall and 5-3 in league play.
Texas' sophomore outside hitter Destinee Hooker led the way for UT, hammering out 18 kills and posting eight digs and seven block assists. Freshman outside hitter Juliann Faucette connected for 15 kills on .290 hitting, while senior middle blocker Brandy Magee added 13 kills and nine total blocks and junior middle blocker Lauren Paolini totaled 11 kills on .611 hitting and registered nine total blocks
After allowing Kansas State to tie the match at two games apiece, Texas was sharp in the match's final stanza. The Longhorns grabbed a 4-2 lead on a pair of Wildcats' errors and the lead would hold for the duration. Texas used a 3-0 run highlighted by a Hooker kill to push the margin to 7-3 and Magee helped the Horns take control of the game with a five point lead at the 11-6 mark. Hooker then connected for her 18th kill of the night and iced the match with a game-ending kill that closed out game five, 15-9.
Texas jumped out to an early lead in game one, claiming a 4-2 advantage on Faucette's first kill of the match. The Wildcats answered the Horns' lead quickly, putting together a 3-0 run capped by a service ace by Jenny Jantsch to take a 5-4 edge. After losing the lead to UT, Kansas State rallied back to regain the edge at the 18-17 mark, but it was all Longhorns from that point on. Texas widened the margin to four on a KSU miscue at the 23-19 mark and the lead would stand, as UT closed out the first frame, 30-26.
The Longhorns committed three straight errors to start the second frame, falling behind 3-0, but Engle brought UT back with a kill at the 5-4 mark. Texas maintained the lead until a kill by Korobkova put the Wildcats in front, 14-13 and Kansas State went on to widen its lead to as many as six points. Korobkova connected for a kill to give KSU a 27-21 lead and a hitting error by Hooker closed out the second game with the Wildcats winning, 30-25.
In the third game, Texas rallied back from an early deficit and used consecutive blocks by Engle and Paolini to knot the game at 25. The Longhorns forged ahead on a kill by Paolini and again on a kill by Hooker, but the Wildcats answered both points to tie the game. Texas finally put together three straight points to close out the game, 30-27, using kills by Hooker and Faucette and a game-ending block by Faucette and Paolini.
The Wildcats bounced back in the fourth frame, overcoming an early Texas lead to claim their first lead of the game on a kill by Rita Liliom at the 10-9 mark. The Longhorns rallied back to take an 18-17 lead on a Hooker kill, but the lead would be short-lived as K-State used a 5-1 run down the stretch to reclaim the advantage and clinch the fourth game, 30-22.
Senior setter Michelle Moriarty recorded 55 assists and 10 digs on the night, registering her second straight assist/dig double-double. Sophomore opposite hitter Ashley Engle added a season-high 10 digs against the Wildcats, while senior libero Alyson Jennings posted a team-high 11 digs. The Longhorns out-blocked KSU on the night, 18.5-to-10.5 and out-hit the Wildcats .285-to-.196.
Texas returns to action Wednesday, Oct. 10 when it plays host to Big 12 Conference foe Baylor at Gregory Gymnasium. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. and will air on Time Warner Cable channel 77 in Austin.
POSTGAME QUOTES
TEXAS HEAD COACH Jerritt Elliott
On the match: It was really good to go on the road and get a good win in a tough environment. I was pleased with our performance tonight and it was nice to see us play well and at a high level against a quality opponent. It was almost 90 degrees in the gym tonight and we did well dealing with the elements and responding to adversity in the match.
On coming up big in the final game: We sided-out at 100% in the final game and we really came up big in the clutch. I feel like that shows the character of this team. It is important for us to be put in that situation and I feel like it really prepares us for tough situations that we will face further down the road.
On the play of junior middle blocker Lauren Paolini: Lauren Paolini played very well tonight. She is really performing well now that she is back playing her natural position in the middle. She put up solid numbers tonight, committing zero errors and totaling nine blocks.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)