TicketsCINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati volleyball team dropped a five-set thriller to Kansas State on Friday night inside Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (9-5, 1-3 Big 12) fell to the Wildcats (9-3, 2-2 Big 12) despite a strong defensive performance, finishing with 14 blocks — their second-highest total of the season. Cincinnati hit .215 on the night, while Kansas State recorded 79 kills on a .255 hitting percentage.
Junior Sydney Nolan led the Bearcats with 22 kills, marking her fifth 20-kill outing of the season. Sophomore Gretchen Sigman added 13 kills and a career-high six blocks. Sophomore Andi Spies posted her fourth double-double with 46 assists and 11 digs, while senior Carly Glendinning contributed a season-best 14 digs and two blocks.
Cincinnati edged Kansas State in a tightly contested opening set, 26-24. After falling behind 11-9, UC responded with a 4-0 run fueled by two aces from redshirt freshman Brooke Crummel to move ahead 13-11. The Wildcats later pushed in front 22-20, but back-to-back blocks swung momentum back to the Bearcats, who closed out the set. Sigman paced UC with five kills on a .833 hitting percentage and added a block.
The second set mirrored the first in back-and-forth action. Nolan’s kill gave UC an early 8-5 lead, but Kansas State rallied to tie it at 9-9. Cincinnati regained control to go up 18-14 before the Wildcats stormed back, finishing on a decisive 5-0 run to take the frame, 25-21, and even the match.
Kansas State carried that momentum into the third set, racing out to a 6-1 lead. Cincinnati chipped away, pulling within 11-9 after three kills from Crummel and later cutting the margin to 17-16 following a 5-0 surge at the net. The Wildcats, however, responded with five straight points and went on to take the set, 25-19.
The Bearcats forced a decisive fifth set after rallying in the fourth. Trailing 11-7, UC capitalized on Kansas State miscues during a 7-1 run to move in front, 14-12. After the Wildcats regained a late 23-21 edge, Cincinnati closed with four unanswered points, capped by a Nolan kill to seal the set, 25-23.
Kansas State took control early in the fifth, building a 4-0 lead and never looked back. The Wildcats secured the match with a 15-7 win in the final frame.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats hit the road to take on West Virginia in the WVU Coliseum on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m.
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