The K-State volleyball team has won six of their last seven matches after sweeping the Texas Tech Red Raiders Saturday night inside Ahearn Field House.
Furthermore, they have won in straight sets in five of their last six matches.
“I thought we played extraordinarily well, outside of the middle of set three,” head coach Suzie Fritz said. “I felt we lost a little focus in that set, but other than that, I thought we played very well. I like the way we are preparing and the way we practiced this week.
The Wildcats were led in kills by junior Katie Reininger who had 11, Alyssa Schultejans contributed with 10, Brooke Sassin knotted nine and Bryna Vogel had eight.
“I think what we are doing more than anything is being aggressive and a lot of being a good attacker is attacking with tremendous purpose,” Fritz said. “It’s not just going up and hitting it as hard as you can. What I believe we are growing at mentally is we are starting to attack with more range and we are moving the ball around.”
Junior Katie Brand continued her excellent play with 39 assists and five kills.
The first set was dominated by the Wildcats after the first 30 points cumulatively earned by each team during the set. K-State led 18-13 and won the next seven of eight points to win the set by 11 points. Vogel ended the set with an ace.
The Wildcats dominated the second set winning 25-18 and giving themselves a two set advantage.
Both teams went back and forth in the third set as the Red Raiders cut K-State’s lead to 17-16. The Wildcats won the next five of seven points and they cruised the rest of the set winning 25-20 and winning the match in straight sets.
K-State is now 7-1 at home this season; since 2011 they are 48-13 when playing in Manhattan. The Wildcats are 15-8 overall and 7-4 in Big 12 play.
“Some of it was that the schedule was kind of unkind to us early in the season,” Fritz said. “We played a lot of young personnel early in the season and they are starting to grow up. Sometimes it just takes time and we have been playing very well at home.”
The Wildcats will host the Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday night inside Ahearn Field House for their third game in a four-game home stand.
“I think we are improving and as a coach, that’s all I’m asking of our team to do,” Fritz said. “I think we are in a good place right now.”
