The 10-3 Kansas Jayhawks will travel to Manhattan this weekend to take on in-state foe Kansas State in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The match will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with first serve set for 4 p.m.
Quick Hits
- The Jayhawks were victorious in their last trip to K-State, topping the Wildcats in a 5-set thriller last season on Nov. 27, 2021.
- Kansas has won two straight matches over the Wildcats entering Saturday’s showdown. On top of the five-set win, Kansas also topped K-State in four sets last season. That match was also in Manhattan.
- The two teams split the season series in 2019 and 2020. K-State hasn’t won both matchups in a season against Kansas since 2018.
- The Jayhawks opened Big 12 Conference play Wednesday night at home against No. 1 Texas and dropped a five-set classic against the Longhorns in front of a sellout crowd at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. Kansas has yet to lose back-to-back matches this season.
- Head Coach Ray Bechard, who is currently in his 25th season as the head coach of the Jayhawks, has a career record of 19-29 against the Wildcats.
- Senior Lauren Dooley, a transfer from Florida, is second in the Big 12 Conference in hitting percentage at .429. She trails only Mallory Talbert from Baylor. Camryn Turner ranks fifth in the Big 12 in assists at 9.62 per set.
- Kansas is a perfect 7-0 away from Lawrence this season, and will look to move to 8-0 on Saturday.
- Kansas is hitting .278 as a team while Kansas State is hitting .223.
- The Wildcats lead the Jayhawks 627 kills to
- In assists, Kansas State is ahread 574-532.
- KU has served 65 aces so far in the season with Kansas State serving 98 aces.
- Kansas State leads in blocks compared to Kansas’ 136-132
- Kansas is currently sitting with a 10-3 record while Kansas State is 9-4..
- Sophomore Caroline Bien has tallied double digits kills in eight out of 13 matches during the 2022 campaign with a season-high 16 kills against No. 22 Utah and UNLV.
- Bien had double-doubles against Wichita State on 9/8 (11 kills, 10 digs) and versus UCF on 9/16 (10 kills and 11 digs).
- Sophomore Camryn Turner was a member of the all-tournament team at the Utah Classic where she was named the tournament MVP and at the Black Knights Invitational in West Point, New York.
- Turner is currently sitting at 433 assists in the season.
- Bien leads the Jayhawks in kills with 130 with redshirt freshman Ayah Elnady is second with 125 and super-senior Anezka Szabo is third with 79 kills.
- Graduate transfer Lauren Dooley is leading the Jayhawk defense with 32.5 total blocks, averaging .722 blocks per set.
In the all-time series history, the Wildcats lead the Jayhawks 66-51. Kansas State and Kansas last met on November 26-27, 2021 for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas. KU walked away victorious after taking down the Wildcats 3-1 on November 26 and 3-2 on November 27. Then freshman Caroline Bien led the Jayhawks with 31 kills in the two matches and recorded 22 digs, earning a double-double in both matches. Then freshman Camryn Turner tallied 103 assists along with 40 digs. KU last fell to Kansas State on October 30, 2020 in Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena 3-2. Kansas State was ranked No. 11 in the country at the time.
Kansas Notables
Graduate transfer Lauren Dooley is not only second in the Big 12 in hitting, she ranks eighth in the nation as well. Super-senior Rachel Langs is sixth in the conference in hitting percentage at .391 and ranks 36th in the nation. Camryn Turner is tied for 47th nationally in assists with 433 and inside the Top 5 in the Big 12. Junior liberty Kennedy Farris has tallied 165 digs and is averaging 3.67 digs per set.
Up Next
Kansas will remain on the road as they take on the Oklahoma Sooners on September 28 in McCasland Field House at 6 p.m. CT in Norman, Oklahoma. The match will be streamed on SoonerVision on ESPN+.
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