#22 Volleyball Closes Regular Season with Win over rv Kansas State

Saturday, November 25

Houston, Texas

2 p.m.

University of Houston

18-9,11-7Big 12

Kansas State

16-11,10-8Big 12

Kansas St.

Houston

#22 Volleyball Closes Regular Season with Win over rv Kansas State

11/25/2023 6:30:00 PM | Volleyball

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Cougars rebound from a tough first set to win in four on Senior Day

HOUSTON – The #22 University of Houston Volleyball team rallied behind 25 kills from graduate Kenna Sauer to win its regular-season finale, 3-1, against rv Kansas State in Fertitta Center on Saturday afternoon.

Houston (18-9, 11-7 Big 12) finishes its inaugural Big 12 regular season in a tie for fourth place in the league after being voted at #6 in the league's preseason poll.

Sauer's 25 kills are a season-high for a Cougar this season. She also posted a .357 hitting percentage and eight digs to lead the Cougar offense. Senior Kate Georgiades tallied 15 digs for her 98^th career double-digit digs performance. Junior Bryshanna Brown also added a double-digit digs day with 10 while junior Katie Corelli tallied 11 kills and a .444 hitting percentage.

SET ONE
Houston struggled with a slow start, falling behind 9-1 after an 8-0 Kansas State run solidified the Wildcats' lead. While the Cougars would close the gap to four at 12-8, a 5-0 stretch from the Wildcats extended their advantage to 19-9. Houston rallied near the end of the set, but ultimately dropped the first, 25-19.

SET TWO
The Cougars recovered in the second, battling throughout the set with Kansas State. After Houston jumped out to a 3-0 lead, Kansas State fought back to even the set at 4-4. The Wildcats took a 10-7 edge and while the Cougars would tie the set at 10-10, Houston found itself in another deficit at 15-11.

The Cougars again tied the frame at 15-15 after a 4-0 run. The set would be evened at 19-19, 20-20, 21-21 and 22-22 before Kansas State earned back-to-back points to set up set point at 24-22. Houston surged to even the set at 24-all and fought off another set point before earning three set points itself, winning the frame, 29-27.

Sauer tallied 10 kills in the second while both Brown and Georgiades recorded four digs.

SET THREE
Houston fully took control of the match in the third. While the set would sit even at 10-10, Houston used multiple short runs to take the lead at 20-16. A 3-0 stretch furthered the Cougars' advantage and Houston ultimately won the set, 25-18.

Sauer turned in another seven kills with no errors in the third while Corelli posted five. Georgiades also added five digs.

SET FOUR
Houston kept its momentum in the fourth, winning six of the first ten points and never surrendering the lead. The Cougars recorded separate 3-0, 4-0 and 5-0 runs to lead 22-10, clinching the match with a 3-0 stretch to win the set, 25-11, and match, 3-1.

Corelli led Houston hitters with four kills on five attempts while Georgiades tallied two service aces and three digs.

NOTABLES

Houston evens the all-time series against Kansas State, 4-4. The Cougars have a 3-1 lead in Houston.
Georgiades recorded her 2,000^th career dig during the match. She now has 2,005, including 1,778 with the Cougars.
Head Coach David Rehr won his 102^nd game as the leader of Houston Volleyball. The mark ties Dave Albright for second at Houston in the NCAA Era. The win also marks Rehr's 250^th at a NCAA Division I school.
24,290 fans entered Fertitta Center for matches this season, improving the prior season-best of 12,954 last season. The average of 2,024 fans is also a new program best.

UP NEXT
The Cougars learn their postseason fate with the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 5 p.m. CT, Sunday on ESPN. Houston entered Saturday at #31 in the NCAA's RPI and #34 in KPI, as well as key wins over #22 USC, rv Texas A&M, rv TCU and the American Athletic Conference Champion SMU.

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