Jordan Ziegler | @Ziggyjw4
The Kansas Jayhawks started Big 12 play with a statement 3-0 sweep over the UCF Knights.
UCF got the first point of the match, but Kansas responded quickly. The Jayhawks went on a 5-0 scoring run to jump out to a 5-1 lead in the first set.
The Jayhawks continued to dominate heading into the media timeout of the first set. With a 15-11 lead, due in large part to senior middle blocker Toyosi Onabanjo and freshman middle blocker Zoey Burgess. Both are recording two kills heading into the media break.
“ Zoe was good tonight. I think she had a couple of hitting errors early and then she really got going,” said head coach Ray Bechard.
UCF did not come out any better after the break and a diving save by sophomore libero Raegan Burns led to a 19-13 Kansas lead in the first set. Forcing a timeout by UCF.
“ I think we talk a lot about consistency with me,” said Burns about her performance. “I just like being that person that people can rely on on the court just for excitement, um, like really whatever we need.”
Coming out of the timeout senior outside hitter Ayah Elnady recorded two aces, giving the Jayhawks a 22-13 lead in the first set and forcing another UCF timeout. Kansas finished the first set with a 25-16 win
Onabanjo was the main factor for the Jayhawks with four kills and sophomore outside hitter Ava Armour led UCF with three kills but had two errors in the first set as well.
UCF came into the second set much better than the first, the knights took a 12-9 lead into the media timeout, thanks to the work of Armour and her seven kills.
The Jayhawks quickly turned the tide coming out of the timeout, jumping back out to a 21-19 lead in the second set. The closely contested second set could not be decided in 25 points, knotted at 24 the two teams took the second set to extra points.
Kansas outlasted the Knights winning the marathon second set 31-29. The set win came in large part due to an uncharacteristic block from 5’6” junior defensive specialist Bryn McGehe.
“So we had somebody playing in the front row. That usually doesn’t, uh, but we made some plays at the end. That was really pretty cool,” said Bechard when talking about the long second set.
Going into the third set with a 2-0 set lead, the Jayhawks only needed to win one more for a 3-0 sweep of the Knights.
The Jayhawks went on to win the third set, completing the 3-0 sweep of UCF to open Big 12 play. Kansas will next be in action on Friday at 6:30 pm CST, taking on Houston in Lawrence.
You can follow the game on 90.7 KJHK Lawrence, with Charlie Krupski and Sam Johnson on the call.
Photo: Eric Lucio, KJHK Sports Photography