Texas seemingly fixed their road woes Saturday, easily disposing of Kansas State, 3-0, to win for just the second time in six matches away from home.
The Longhorns relied on a balanced attack and another strong performance from junior middle blocker Rachael Adams to roll over the Wildcats 25-21, 25-16, 25-12 in Manhattan, Kan.
Adams was active for Texas, finishing with a match-high 12 kills and an impressive 10 blocks — a career high. Junior Amber Roberson played efficiently for the Longhorns (10-5, 5-2 Big 12), adding 10 blocks with a .529 attack percentage as the outside hitter from San Antonio was a force on the outside.
“We got some great balance and production from all of our pin players, and it was great to see Amber play at such a high clip,” said Texas volleyball head coach Jerritt Elliott. “We are getting more confident and more relaxed when we play.”
The Longhorns spoke before the game about the need to battle the adversity that comes with playing in a hostile environment. With Texas trailing 20-15 in the first set, they did just that, stringing together a 10-1 run — including seven straight points to end the game, thanks to the timely play of senior outside hitter Juliann Faucette.
Faucette was instrumental in Texas’ run, putting up four kills and a huge block to silence Kansas State (9-9, 2-4) and take control of the match.
Freshman setter Hannah Allison kept the Wildcats guessing all night as she balanced the Longhorns offense with a match-high 31 assists.
“She showed a lot of guts tonight, coming back from an injury that she had on Wednesday, and she did a great job distributing the ball,” Elliott said.
Allison’s passing opened the gates for Faucette (eight kills) and Roberson on the outside and Adams and junior Jennifer Doris (seven kills) in the middle.
“Doris is playing the best she has ever played,” Elliott said. “That is a big component for us and our balance. I’m really proud of Jen for stepping up right now and playing at a high level.”
Texas extended its win streak over Kansas State to 14 matches. The Longhorns return to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. as they look to beat Brianne Barker and Oklahoma on the road in Norman.
