The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No. 10 Volleyball cruises past Kansas State, 3-0
10.15.2011 | Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2011
MANHATTAN, Kan - The 10th-ranked Texas Volleyball team posted a season-high .463 team hitting percentage as it rolled past Kansas State, 3-0, Saturday afternoon at Ahearn Field House. The 25-17, 25-15, 25-20 victory improved the Longhorns to 12-4 on the season and 5-1 in Big 12 play, while the Wildcats dropped to 14-6 overall and 3-3 in league action.
Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Webster headlined the Horns' attack with 15 kills on .778 hitting, while freshman outside hitter Haley Eckerman joined her in double figures with 12 kills and a .310 attack mark. Freshman middle blocker Khat Bell and senior All-America middle blocker Rachael Adams added nine kills apiece and junior opposite hitter Sha'Dare McNeal posted five kills on five swings.
The Wildcats played the Horns tight early in the first before a 5-1 rally fueled by two Webster kills gave UT an 18-13 edge. Webster tacked on two more kills late in the frame to push her first-set total to six and lift Texas to a 25-17 victory.
In the second, Texas took advantage of multiple Kansas State miscues to build its lead to 16-8 and staved off a minor K-State rally before using four late Eckerman kills to balloon the margin to 10 and close out the set, 25-15.
The Horns used six quick kills by Webster to open the third set and build a 14-8 lead, but Kansas State did not quit, putting together a 6-1 rally to close the margin to 18-15. Texas bounced back down the stretch with an Adams/Eckerman block forcing match point and a kill by Adams sealing the set, 25-20.
Texas returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 19 when it travels to Baylor. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- Texas' win improved its all-time record against Kansas State to 26-7 and 12-4 in Manhattan.
- In the first two sets, Sha'Dare McNeal and Rachael Adams combined for 12 kills on 12 attack attempts to help UT to a .533 attack mark through the first two frames.
- Bailey Webster's .778 hitting percentage set a new season high for the sophomore and equaled her career-best performance.
- The Longhorns out-hit the Wildcats, .463-to-.177 in the win.
- Texas earned 61 of its 75 points in the victory, tallying 52 kills, seven total blocks and two aces.
