The University of Arizona’s volleyball team won 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 25-14, 27-25) against Kansas State University on Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m. in the Morgan Family Arena. Arizona and Kansas State went head to head in the first Big 12 conference game.
Arizona’s Adrianna Bridges was vital to the successful win, putting up 5 aces and five blocks. Senior Jordan Wilson led with 21 kills, followed by Ana Heath with 11 kills. Avery Scoggins totaled 38 assists and 14 digs along with Brenna Ginder who had six assists and 16 digs.
Set 1
Arizona and Kansas remained close throughout the beginning of the first set switching off point for point. Arizona began to pull away by two points, winning a rally after a dig from Kansas’s Shaylee Myers was brought back over the net, getting Arizona the kill. An ace from Bridges gave Arizona a 10-7 lead.
Arizona quickly began to pull away 18-13 after a kill from Wilson. Another ace served by Bridges led to a 4-0 scoring run that extended Arizona’s lead to 22-15. Kansas State started to make its comeback with kills on Arizona, but it was too late as Arizona took the first set 25-19.
Set 2
Kansas State started the second set off strong 5-0 which forced an Arizona timeout. After an intense rally, Carlie Cisneros gained Arizona’s first points after a kill, with an assist from Scoggins. Myers extended Kansas State’s lead 9-4 with a block on Arizona. Bridges served her third ace of the game, shortening KSU’s lead 11-8. Despite back-to-back kills from Sydnie Vanek, Arizona was still behind 14-12. KSU’s Ava LeGrand served its first ace of the game, extending their lead 21-13.
Arizona fought hard in this set but fell too far behind Kansas and were not able to come back. Kansas State won the second set 25-19.
Set 3
Both teams remained close at the beginning of the third set, but an ace by Bridges pulled Arizona away 5-2. This was closely followed by a kill from Scoggins assisted by Ginder. Throughout the game, KSU collected seven service errors and 1 ace. A long, intense rally ended with a kill from Wilson, immediately followed with an Arizona ace from Bridges, extending Arizona’s lead 15-8. Kansas came back to win the next rally after a one handed dive from Aniya Clinton. Arizona extended their lead with kills from Scoggins and Heath.
Arizona took the third set against KSU 25-14.
Set 4
Kansas State came into the fourth set with its second ace of the game. Though Kansas got the first points on the board this set, Arizona quickly came back and took the lead 4-2 with a kill from Bridges. Arizona extended its lead 12-8 over Kansas with a 3-0 scoring run with kills from Cisneros, Bridges and Scoggins which led to a timeout from Kansas State. After a service error from Bridges, Clinton served an ace for Kansas followed by a kill from Myers shortening Arizona’s lead 18-15. Arizona and Kansas became tied at 22 after a kill from Clinton.
A kill from Heath with an assist from Scoggins to end a rally gave the match point to Arizona 24-22. After breaking match and set points, Arizona took the set and match 27-25 after an ace from Paige Thies. Arizona became the first team to win in the Morgan Family Arena this season and broke its streak of four consecutive losses with this win.
“We just stepped up and we played, we stuck together as a team and that’s exactly what we’re about; being all in.” Arizona head coach Charita Stubbs said.
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