Junior libero Sydney Breissinger wraps sixth-year senior Kiara Reinhardt in a celebratory embrace after a block kill from the middle blocker helps win a rally that lasted over 40 seconds. Reinhardt finished the match with five kills and four block assists to push the No. 18 Bluejays past the No.17-ranked Kansas Jayhawks in their second meeting of the season.
No. 18 Creighton women’s volleyball (7-5) played with fierce determination in a 3-0 victory over No. 17-ranked Kansas (9-5) in the team’s final non-conference matchup of the season.
“I just thought [it was] a great team win. That’s a really good Kansas team that presents a lot of different challenges,” Head Coach Brian Rosen said. “Big block size, tenacious on defense, they pass so well. And I thought we served as hard as we normally do, and they were just in system a lot, which forced our defense to just have to scrap out plays and fight.”
To open the Creighton Classic, the Jays won 3-0 over South Florida, ending with a .297 attacking percentage, 38 assists, 40 kills, seven service aces, 36 digs and 12 blocks. Senior outside hitter Ava Martin led the team with 13 kills, hitting .480. Sophomore right-side hitter Jaya Johnson added nine kills and seven digs, while hitting .313 in her debut as a six-rotation player.
When the Jays faced Kansas earlier this season, on Aug. 31 in Madison, Wis., the match went five sets, ending in a 3-2 Creighton victory. This time, Creighton closed the match in three tight sets, 26-24, 25-18, and 25-22.
“Last time we [played], they took a set from us, and we ended up going to five,” Martin said. “We really wanted to come out and be strong and just finish this.”
The first set featured 27 ties and 10 lead changes, including a 5-0 run on Martin’s serve that put the Bluejays ahead 19-16. The set ultimately ended on a kill by senior middle blocker Kiara Reinhardt and a Kansas attack error.
In the second set, a 6-1 Creighton run capped by an ace from redshirt freshman Nora Wurtz helped the Jays take a 2-0 lead. In the final set, Kansas briefly led 21-20 before Creighton finished with a 5-1 run, highlighted by Martin’s ace and a final block by freshman outside hitter Abbey Hayes and Reinhardt to seal the sweep.
Despite Kansas coming off a five-game winning streak, the Bluejays stayed focused, adjusting offensive placement and rallying together on defense. They ended the match with 44 kills, 43 assists, 52 digs, six aces, and nine blocks on a .218 hitting percentage. Martin led all players with 18 kills and was named Tournament MVP, while Johnson earned All-Tournament honors, contributing a career-high 11 digs and matching her season-high with nine kills.
The team built up a strong foundation due to their tough preseason schedule, as well as their hard work in practice. Rosen highlighted the growth of the Jays’ new setter, senior transfer Annalea Maeder, and the connections sparked with Martin, who ended with 20.5 points.
“I think for all of us hitters, she’s [Maeder] really working to find the best set that we need and what is best for us,” Martin said. “She’s a very selfless player, and I think we appreciate it.”
Rosen also praised freshman Hayes, who contributed seven points with five kills and four block assists, noting her joy and calmness even in tight, high-pressure matches like the one against Kansas.
“Her reach is amazing. I mean, she hits over any block, but even just her skill set since day one, she has impressed us all,” Martin said of Hayes.
Defensively, Creighton’s blocking proved vital. Junior libero Sydney Breissinger, playing her first full match at libero since 2023, recorded 17 digs and emphasized how their front-row presence helped limit long scrambles and maximize results.
“Our block did an amazing job today,” Breissinger said. “Like I think there were very few balls we were even having to sprawl out for because they were getting such amazing block touches”.
With their second top-25 win of the season, the Bluejays jumped to No. 16 in the AVCA Poll on Monday. Creighton will look to continue their strong start as they open Big East play tonight against Xavier at D.J. Sokol Arena. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m.