OMAHA, Neb. — Coming off a nationally-televised win over No. 20 USC and 77 hours ahead of a showdown at No. 2 Nebraska, No. 11 Creighton Volleyball improved to 5-0 on the season with a 3-0 win over Kansas State to take home the title at the Creighton Classic. Scores of CU’s first sweep ever in 11 match-ups with the Wildcats were 25-17, 25-13, 25-19, as the Bluejays never trailed after taking a 9-8 lead in the first set.
Redshirt freshman Jaya Johnson had a season-high 12 kills while hitting .550 in 20 attempts. Johnson also had a hand in four of CU’s 11 blocks, which helped hold the Wildcats to .112 hitting. Elise Goetzinger paced CU with six blocks and added six kills, and Norah Sis had 12 kills, eight digs and four blocks on .346 hitting. Kendra Wait had her third double-double of the fall with 32 assists and 12 digs for the Jays. Creighton hit .340 and had 45 kills, 50 digs and four aces.
Sis was named Tournament MVP after hitting .338 and averaging 4.14 kills, 2.57 digs and 0.29 aces per set in two contests at the Creighton Classic. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Ava Martin (3.43 kps.) and Kendra Wait (10.71 aps., 3.43 dps., 1.14 kps., 0.86 bps).
Kansas State (1-4) was paced by three-time all-Big 12 performer Aliyah Carter’s 11 kills. Liz Gregorski added 11 digs and two aces, while All-Big 12 setter Izzi Szulczewski had 23 assists and eight digs. Libero Ella Larkin added 10 digs for KSU, which finished with 33 kills, three ace, 44 digs and two blocks.
Creighton trailed 8-7 in the opening set before a 9-3 run helped CU take a 17-10 lead. Back-to-back aces by Maddy Bilinovic pushed CU to set point, and Johnson’s fourth kill of the set clinched the 25-17 game one victory.
CU used a 6-0 run on Wait’s serve to move in front 15-6 in the second set. The lead grew to 23-12 after Goetzinger and Ava Martin paired up for a block, and a kill by Sis closed out the 25-13 set. CU had 14 kills and hit .364 in the frame, while Goetzinger had a hand in three of CU’s four blocks.
Kansas State battled in the third set and drew within two points as late as 21-19 before CU scored the final three points on kills from Goetzinger and Sis that sandwiched a K-State attack error. The Jays had 17 kills and hit .389 in the final set as six different players notched at least one kill.
Creighton looks to match its best start in program history on Tuesday when it visits No. 2 Nebraska at 7 p.m. in a match that will be nationally-televised on BTN.
NOTES: Creighton has now won 15-of-16 sets this season against a non-conference schedule that includes nothing but top-61 RPI teams from a year ago … Creighton improved to 3-8 all-time against Kansas State … Creighton extended its school-record home win streak to 18, which is the nation’s fourth-longest active streak … Creighton’s only other better start was a 6-0 start in 2021, while the 2005 team also opened 5-0 … Creighton has won 84 straight matches when leading 2-0 at intermission … Creighton has won the second set in 23 straight matches … Creighton has now won 33 tournament titles since the fall of 2012 … Creighton’s only other previous Creighton Classic title (in four events) came in 2019 … Creighton is now 32-0 all-time when Norah Sis hits .300 or better.
2024 Creighton Classic Summary
September 5-7, 2024 – Omaha, Neb.
Final Standings
1. #11 Creighton 2-0
2. #20 USC 1-1
3. Kansas State 0-2
Match Scores
Thursday, September 5, 2024
#11 Creighton def. #20 USC, 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-23, 28-26)
Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
#20 USC def. Kansas State, 3-1 (25-21, 16-25, 27-25, 25-22
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
#11 Creighton def. Kansas State, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-19)
All-Tournament Team
Norah Sis, Creighton (MVP)
Ava Martin, Creighton
Kendra Wait, Creighton
Adonia Faumuina, USC
Gala Trubint, USC
Ella Larkin, Kansas State
