Jayhawks Rally, Defeat Vanderbilt in Ulmer’s KU Debut

The Jayhawks opened the season 1-0 with a victory by set scores of 19-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-20, 15-4. The Jayhawks have been powered by Reese Ptacek and Grace Nelson, who mixed for 28 kills within the match and had a number of factors in a game-changing, nine-point run within the fifth set.

Kansas returns to motion on Monday, Aug. 25, in opposition to No. 2 Penn State, with first serve set for five:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. The match shall be KU’s second and last matchup of the AVCA First Serve, happening on the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

“I knew it was a matter of them believing in themselves,” Ulmer stated following the match. “I hope that’s what they learned, how good they can be. If they play together and trust each other, this can be really fun.”

Kansas opened the 2025 season in opposition to Vanderbilt, which made its debut in this system’s inaugural marketing campaign. The Commodores constructed an early five-point lead, however the Jayhawks shortly settled in. A powerful serving run from Raegan Burns sparked a rally that pulled Kansas even at 13-13, and a kill from Cristin Cline off a set from Logan Bell gave KU its first lead at 15-14.

The two groups traded factors earlier than Vanderbilt used a brief run to regain management at 18-15. Kansas continued to battle, with Cline and Ptacek teaming up for a block and Maddy Bowser including a kill to maintain the Jayhawks inside placing distance. Despite the push, Vanderbilt closed the set on a late 6-1 run to take it, 25-19.

Kansas carried its momentum into the second set, racing out to a 6-2 benefit, and shortly extending the margin to 14-5 behind robust serving and regular defensive play. The Jayhawks dominated the center portion of the body, with blocks from Cline, Jovana Zelenovic, and Aisha Aiono serving to KU stretch the result in double digits.

Vanderbilt tried to claw again late, however Kansas by no means let the Commodores get inside vary. Ptacek delivered a kill to carry up set level, and a block from Kenzie Dean and Aiono sealed the 25-18 victory, night the match at one set apiece.

With the match tied, the third set opened with each groups buying and selling factors earlier than Kansas gained momentum. A kill from Aiono gave the Jayhawks a 10-7 lead heading into the media timeout. Vanderbilt answered with a push of its personal, pulling even at 12-12 behind a service ace. The body remained tightly contested, with neither aspect in a position to create a lot separation till the Commodores edged forward 19-17, their largest lead of the set.

Kansas stayed within the combat, as Ptacek delivered a kill to drag the Jayhawks inside one and Nelson adopted with one other to even the rating at 22-22. KU reached set level at 24-23, however Vanderbilt closed with three straight factors to flee with a 26-24 win and a 2-1 lead within the match.

In the fourth, Vanderbilt jumped out to a 3-0 lead earlier than Kansas answered to even the rating at 3-3. The Jayhawks grabbed their first lead at 7-6 on a kill from Ptacek, and the groups continued to commerce factors. A kill from Nelson gave KU a 10-8 benefit on the media timeout, and Cline later tied the body at 15-15 with a kill of her personal. From there, Kansas started to take management, utilizing blocks from Aiono and Zelenovic to construct a 20-18 lead heading into the ultimate stretch.

The Jayhawks pushed the margin to 24-19 on one other Ptacek kill to achieve set level, and Zelenovic sealed it at 25-20 with the ultimate swing, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.

The Jayhawks entered the fifth with momentum and shortly jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Kansas then took full management, stringing collectively a dominant nine-point run behind robust serving from Nelson and a balanced offensive assault. Vanderbilt managed simply two extra factors the remainder of the best way, as Nelson capped the match along with her last kill to safe the 15-4 set victory. The emphatic end gave Kansas its first win of the season.