MATCH STATS
- #7 Creighton def. #9 Kansas 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 29-27)
- #7 Creighton improves to 7-2; #9 Kansas drops to 9-1
- Lawrence, Kansas (Kansas Invitational)
- Box Score
Lawrence, Kansas – In a rematch of a wild 2016 NCAA Tournament second round match that went to extra points in the fifth set, Creighton again downed Kansas.
This time things went a bit quicker as the BlueJays swept Kansas with a strong opening set, a dominant second set, and a comeback in the third that included three straight points to finish off the match after getting behind to set point for Kansas.
Creighton hit .390 and .448 in the first two sets respectively and .302 overall for the match as they held Kansas to a .197 clip. The BlueJays also out-blocked the Jayhawks 7.5-4.
Creighton setter Lydia Dimke totaled 38 assists, eight digs, two kills and two blocks in a battle of All-American setters with Ainise Havili notching 38 assists, six digs, one kill and one block.
Three Kansas players posted double-figure kills in Jada Burse (11), Madison Rigdon (11 to go with 14 digs) and Kelsie Payne (10). Middle blocker Taylor Alexander wasn’t far behind with nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage.
That was countered by the BlueJays efficient attack led by Jaali Winters, who had a double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs on a .343 hitting percentage. Marysa Wilkinson (12 kills on a .321 hitting percentage) and Taryn Kloth (10 kills on a .222 hitting percentage) also posted double-digit kills.
Both teams finish off their weeks now, as Kansas, Creighton and Purdue all beat Belmont but took turns beating up on each other where they all went 2-1 for the weekend. Creighton will now get more familiar with the Sunflower State as they head to Wichita for the Shocker Classic to meet Wichita State and Iowa State. Kansas on the other hand jets off to California to meet San Jose State, Santa Clara and Idaho next week.
PRESS RELEASES:
LAWRENCE, Kan. — In a rematch of its epic 2016 NCAA Tournament victory, the No. 9 Creighton Volleyball team showed it was no fluke with a 3-0 win over No. 7 Kansas at the Horejsi Family Athletic Center in Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday night to close out play in the Kansas Invitational.
Scores of the match were 25-20, 25-16, 29-27.
Creighton improves to 7-2 with the victory, its second top-10 road win of the fall. Kansas lost for the first time in 10 decisions this year. The Bluejays claimed the Kansas Invitational Championship with the win over the Jayhawks. No. 9 Creighton, No. 7 Kansas and No. 19 Purdue each went 2-1 at the tournament, but Creighton collected the title based on a better winning percentage than the Boilermakers and the Jayhawks.
Creighton won the first set 25-20, while hitting .390 and digging 19 swings from the Jayhawks. Bluejay libero Brittany Witt was a difference-maker, owning nine digs and serving a key 5-0 run that put CU ahead 16-13 and gave the Jays the lead for good. Jaali Winters had six kills and four digs in the first set, while Lydia Dimke dished 16 assists.
The Bluejays built a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-16 decision in the second set. CU bolted to an 8-3 lead and never looked back, pulling away with a 9-4 burst to end the set. Creighton hit .448 in the second set, with Marysa Wilkinson supplying five kills and Winters adding three kills and seven digs. Kansas hit .154 in the second set, struggling with a Bluejay defense that collected four blocks.
Creighton returns to action next weekend in Wichita, Kan., at the Shocker Volleyball Classic. The Bluejays will close out their non-conference gauntlet with two more ranked teams, taking on No. 23 Wichita State at 7 pm on Friday before meeting No. 22 Iowa State on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
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