Volleyball set to play toughest match of season in Ahearn Field House

On Saturday night, the K-State volleyball team will face arguably its biggest challenge of this season, and head coach Suzie Fritz seemed aware, but unperturbed.

"They're very, very good," she said. "I don't think that means we can't compete with them."

To do that, her team (9-10, 3-5 Big 12 Conference) will need to bring everything it has, because No. 3 University of Nebraska (16-1, 8-0) is coming to Manhattan.

After finishing last season fifth in the polls, the Cornhuskers have worked only to move higher, and their perfect conference record certainly helps their effort.

Of their eight matches so far in the Big 12, half have ended in sweeps. In those four matches, the opposing team won only a single game, so Nebraska has yet to play all five possible games in a match.

In fact, only two teams have taken the Cornhuskers to all five games this season. Then-No. 13 Florida did it at the beginning of the preseason and won the match. Then-No. 3 Illinois made it to the fifth game, but Nebraska still took home the win. So far, that loss to Florida is the only blemish on the Cornhuskers' schedule.

Fritz said this speaks volumes for the team, but it does not say everything.

"The reality of it is they haven't gotten beat," she said. "That doesn't make them unbeatable."

In the Big 12, Nebraska leads all seven categories except digs and service aces, where the team is ranked second and ninth, respectively. Additionally, in the individual statistics, the Cornhuskers have three players showing in both hitting percentage and blocks, and their players have beefy stats in every category, which Fritz praised.

"The thing about Nebraska is that they're good at everything," she said. "They're big, and they're physical. They serve and pass. They ball-handle."

Essentially, they do everything.

It is the 6-foot-4-inch junior Brooke Delano, a middle blocker who was Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big 12 last year, who presents one of the most formidable challenges at the net for K-State. With No. 1 conference rankings in hitting percentage and blocks, Delano far outshines most players at any school. She is currently recording 2.87 kills with almost half of her attempts earning a point.

Assisting her are two outstanding setters. This means Nebraska always has three hitters up front — two outsides and a middle — so the team has more opportunities and more choices, which ultimately yields more points.

"They have two exceptional setters, two of the best setters in the country, so they get it where it's supposed to go and how it's supposed to get there," Fritz said.

This means K-State will have to be at the top of its game, too. As Fritz said, when you cannot slow the other team down, you have to raise your level to meet it. The Wildcats will not be able to let up for one second, or Nebraska will take control.

"This team can handle the ball at a high level," she said. "They're good at the net. They have no glaring weaknesses that I can see."

When it comes down to it, Fritz has very simple goals for the match.

"I want to play well," she said. "I want to stay in it. I want to compete."

First serve is set for 7 p.m. in Ahearn Field House. Fans not able to attend the match can listen on 1350 KMAN.

The K-State defense forced the Jayhawks into two fumbles and an interception. Fumble returns totaled 109 yards for the Wildcats.

Junior linebacker Alex Hrebec said Nebraska's loss hurt and the team spent the week working to correct errors committed in that game.

"This week in practice we just tried to focus on the mistakes we made — getting out of our gaps, not making tackles, missing tackles, not getting off blocks," Hrebec said.

On their first scoring drive, the Wildcats mixed up the run and the pass as well as they have all season, but settled for a 38-yard field goal from senior kicker Josh Cherry instead of going for it with one yard to gain on fourth down.

Senior quarterback Carson Coffman completed passes to four different players in the first quarter: freshman Tramaine Thompson, sophomore Braden Wilson and seniors Adrian Hilburn and Aubrey Quarles. This resulted in steady movement down the field, and Coffman ran the ball to a touchdown to make it 10-0 K-State.

When KU got the ball back, running back Deshaun Sands fumbled on the first play of the team's drive. Freshman strong safety Ty Zimmerman scampered away with the ball to set K-State up for another rushing touchdown by Coffman, putting K-State ahead 17-0.

On their next drive, the Jayhawks decided to go for it on fourth down. Junior cornerback David Garrett had other ideas; he sacked KU quarterback Jordan Webb for a three-yard loss. It took K-State less than two minutes for a 35-yard strike to sophomore receiver Chris Harper and three runs by senior running back Daniel Thomas to widen the gap to 24-0 with over eight minutes remaining in the first half.

K-State spelled Thomas with senior running back William Powell to grind out the clock, and Coffman capped the drive with a touchdown pass to Tannahill. This put the Wildcats up 31-0.

To start off the second half, the Wildcats recycled the earlier touchdown play by Tannahill, this time received by freshman tight end Andre McDonald. The 19-yard scoring play increased K-State's lead to 38-0.

A fumble ended KU's subsequent drive when senior defensive back Stephen Harrison scooped up the ball and went 85 yards for yet another K-State touchdown. On KU's next drive, he intercepted the touchdown pass intended for KU wide receiver Johnathan Wilson. K-State 45, KU 0.

On K-State's first play of the ensuing drive, Powell burst out for a 56-yard run. After six plays and three and a half minutes, the Wildcats had still another touchdown. Before the end of the third quarter, the score was 52-0.