Kelsie Payne Ties Kansas Record For Career Kills

Match Stats

• #13 Kansas def. Texas Tech 3-1 (27-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22)
• Kansas moves to 22-6 (11-4 Big 12), Texas Tech falls to 15-13 (4-11 Big 12)
• Lubbock, Texas
• Attendance: 474
• Box Score

Kansas senior Kelsie Payne has tied the Kansas volleyball record for career kills thanks to 13 in a 4-set win over Texas Tech on Friday night. That ties her with Josi Lima, who also had 1,483 from 2002-2005 for the Jayhwaks.

The Jayhawks have 1 regular season match left, senior day next Saturday against West Virginia, and are basically assured of at least 1 (and probably more) NCAA match for Payne to build a lead in the KU record books.

The game went about as-expected, with the exception of a 25-14 rout in the 2nd set by Kansas turning into a small Texas Tech recovery to win the 4th. The Jayhwaks had 12 kills but also 12 errors in that 3rd set, allowing the Red Raiders to take it in spite of hitting just .128 themselves.

Fellow senior Madison Rigdon led the scoring for Kansas on the day with 19 kills (.265 hitting) and 2 aces, plus a block assist for 21.5 points. Payne had 13 kills (.313 average) an ace, and 3 block assists for 15.5 points.

Tech actually out-blocked Kansas pretty handily 10.5-7. 4 of those Texas Tech blocks came in the 3rd set that they won, including the closing point by Missy Owens and Katy Keenan. Freshman Allison White had 7 block assists and 1 solo block for Tech in the game, for a career-high 8 total blocks.

It takes at least 2,270 to move into the NCAA’s top-25 all-time in kills, and at least 1,726 to move into the Big 12’s all-time top 10. Both of those will be out of reach for Payne. Payne, one of the rare players to hit 1,000 career kills as a junior, entered the season as just the #14 Jayhawk in history in career kills. Payne started her career as a middle blocker before shifting to the right side hitter position where she’s excelled. She also ranks 2nd in Kansas history with 3.65 kills/set, 3rd with 1,692 points, and 1st with a career .336 hitting percentage (in spite of a career-low .298 this season).

Kansas All-Time Top 10 – Career Kills

1. Josi Lima (2002-2005)/Kelsi Payne (2014-2017) – 1,483
3. Caroline Jarmoc (2009-2013) – 1,333
4. Sarah Rome (2000-2003) – 1,312
5. Karina Garlington (2007-2010) – 1,309
6. Allison Mayfield (2008-2011) – 1,282
7. Sara McClinton (2011-2014) – 1,272
8. Amanda Reves (1996-1999) – 1,264
9. Mary Beth Albrecht (1996-1999) – 1,171
10. Emily Brown (2004-2007) – 1,168

Earlier this season, Ainise Havili became Kansas’ all-time career leader in assists (she’s up to 5,155 – around 400 better than any other Kansas player in history)