LAWRENCE – Wichita State took its first loss of the season, falling in three sets to host Kansas on Friday night at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena: 25-22, 25-20, 25-16.
Playing shorthanded due to COVID-19 protocol, and for the second in nine hours, the Shockers (4-1) traded blows the Jayhawks (4-3) for a set-and-a-half before wearing down.
Kailin Newsome hit .292 with a team-high 11 kills. The freshman transfer from Southeastern Lousiana has recorded double-digit kills in four of her first five matches as a Shocker.
Kayce Litzau handed out 22 assists. She and
Lily Liekweg shared the team lead with nine digs each.
The Shockers hit .180 to the Jayhawks' .274.
Caroline Bien was good for Kansas, hitting .545 with a match-high 13 kills and just one error. Jenny Mosser added 10 kills.
The Shockers now face a short turnaround. They'll face Delaware (5-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Kansas Invitational finale for both sides. KU meets Kent State immediately after.
First Set: KU, 25-22
Newsome supplied seven kills on 12 swings in a closely-contested first set. Tied at 21, the Jayhawks scored four of the last five points. Bien started that surge with consecutive kills.
Second Set: KU, 25-20
WSU built a 10-7 lead but surrendered six-straight points in what would eventually snowball into a 12-2 Jayhawk run. The Shockers showed late life, trimming a 19-12 deficit to 23-20.
Third Set: KU, 25-16
The Jayhawks raced to an 8-1 lead and cruised to victory.
