K-State volleyball reflects on recent success against ranked teams

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - K-State volleyball has been making waves and upsetting ranked teams left and right this season under first-year head coach Jason Mansfield.

In a span of two weeks, the ‘Cats swept then No. 8 BYU in back-to-back matches at home, then swept then No. 3 Texas at home.

Coach Mansfield preaches to the team “We can do it”, but adds that they have to put in the work to do so.

He says he loves the team chemistry, and the foundation of talent and motivation was already there.

”That’s what you want as a coach, you want to see their character and personality come out and be themselves and have fun playing the sport that they love,” Coach said. “And then to do it together is the most special thing about out sport is that connection, and there’s nothing better than that.”

He added that seeing the team’s disappointment after the Nebraska loss earlier in the year showed they had high expectations for themselves.

“I just think it speaks to like how much each person on the team had gone through their own struggles and battles,” said setter Izzi Szulczewski. “We’re all at this point in our lives and season where it’s like ‘Let’s go’, we’re going to take down whoever wants to walk into the Morgan Family Arena and we’re going to spank them.”

After the win against a ranked Iowa State team, he knew this group could be really special.

“We all click together,” said outside hitter Aliyah Carter. “We’re amazing from the bench to the coaching staff to the people playing on the court and we all click. We all just have that confidence within us and confidence in each other and we trust each other and we get better every single day on the court so it all works out.”

The Wildcats are 14-10 on the season, and will next host Texas Tech for Senior Day on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

They’ve loved seeing the fan turnout at the brand new Morgan Family Arena this year.

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