K-State volleyball closed out the K-State Invitational Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Campbell. The Wildcats showcased their depth and resilience throughout the contest, overcoming a second-set deficit to take back control and dominate the final two sets.
The first set was highly competitive, with neither team able to establish momentum early on. K-State asserted itself behind kills from Reagan Fox, Ellah Derrer and Addison Masey, while Campbell countered with strong play from Hailey Heytvelt and Victoria Tupy. With the score tied at 9-9, the Wildcats began to gain control through their defense, highlighted by Avery Stones and Derrer, who ignited a pivotal scoring run.
The Cats gradually extended their lead, making the score 19-13 and forcing Campbell to spend multiple timeouts. The Camels responded with a 3-0 run, but ultimately the Wildcats remained composed down the stretch as Fox got it to set point before Camdyn Stucky sealed the 25-17 victory with a service ace.
Campbell countered majorly during the second set. The Camels opened with three consecutive points and would not trail the entire set. Despite K-State struggling to find its rhythm on the attack, the ‘Cats clawed their way back to tie the score at 9-9.
The middle of the set was back and forth as neither team could extend a lead. Emerson Van Lannen provided a spark for the Wildcats with a service ace that cut the lead to one point, while Campbell maintained their lead with timely kills and defensive stops. Down five, the ‘Cats called a timeout to halt the Camels’ momentum.
Coming out of the timeout, K-State refused to go away, mounting a late rally led by kills from Derrer, Massey and Fox. The Wildcats closed within three points, forcing Campbell to use a timeout. The Camels ultimately retained control and won the set after back-to-back kills, winning 25-20, evening the match at one set apiece.
The third set marked a significant turning point in the match as K-State came out with heightened intensity and quickly took a 4-0 lead. Massey and Derrer led an offensive onslaught, keeping Campbell on their toes. The Camels, however, gradually worked their way back into contention after a series of blocks and kills to trim the deficit.
Campbell tied the match 13-13, but that didn’t stop the ‘Cats from remaining composed and quickly responding. Sophomore setter Camdyn Stucky said the team focused on staying calm and making adjustments during momentum swings.
“I would say just take a deep breath, realizing what they’re trying to do, service-wise, and making a plan for that,” Stucky said.
Massey answered with a kill before Derrer followed with a service ace, swinging the momentum back into the Wildcats’ favor. K-State continued to build momentum after the media timeout, as Campbell committed consecutive attack errors, prompting a timeout.
Fox delivered two critical kills during the closing stretch, while Fuka Sekita added a service ace to widen the gap even further. Derrer later delivered a kill to bring up set point before Massey ended the set with an emphatic kill, giving the Wildcats a 25-18 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
K-State quickly diminished any lingering suspense in the match, delivering its most dominant performance in the fourth set. The Wildcats raced out to a commanding 5-0 lead behind kills from Sydney Maue and Stones, while a block assist by Maue and Deerer energized the surge. The ‘Cats continued to dictate the pace, going up 7-1 and forcing a Campbell timeout.
The team would maintain relentless pressure on both the offense and defense following the timeout. Consecutive Campbell errors made the score 12-2 before Van Lannen delivered back-to-back service aces, stretching the margin to 15-3. Following Fox and Resmer combining for a block assist, Massey recorded a kill and two service aces during a run that put the team up even more. Resmer also added a kill of her own, further highlighting the Wildcats’ depth.
With K-State ahead by a large margin, head coach Jason Mansfield emptied the bench, giving everyone playing time. K-State earned match point after Stones tallied a kill, with Cadence Lundgren recording the clinching kill to give the Wildcats the 25-11 set win and the 3-1 match victory over Campbell. Stones and Massey both had strong performances, with nine and 10 kills, respectively, leading the offensive barrage.
The win capped a successful weekend for K-State, which showed its depth and resilience by receiving contributions from across the roster.
The Wildcats’ next volleyball match is against California State University Northridge at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sep. 4th in Morgan Family Arena.
