LAWRENCE, Kan.—After traveling to Cincinnati last week to face three quality opponents, the competition got even stiffer this week as the Bellarmine volleyball team opened the Jayhawk Classic on Friday against No. 20 Kansas then had to turn around and play a 6-3 Texas State team just hours later.
 
In the tourney opener, the Knights fell 25-14, 25-18, 25-16 to the Jayhawks as the hosts enjoyed a .325 hitting game with an 8-2 advantage in team blocks.
 
Bellarmine's offense was paced by Bailey Venard and Natalie Bland with seven kills apiece while Gabby Brissett added six.  The Knights' Anna Lococo turned in a nice effort on the defensive side, collecting 20 digs in the three-setter.
 
In the nightcap, Texas State earned the sweep with 25-16, 25-20, 25-10 set victories. The Bobcats also controlled the play at the net with a 13-1 block advantage.
 
Some good news for Knights fans was that the top hitters in the second match were players who started the season on the sidelines.  Anna Purichia, a transfer from Eastern Kentucky University, led the Knights with eight kills while MaryAnn O'Toole, a graduate transfer from Xavier, added six kills. Lococo again led the defense with eight digs with Tessa Nauert tying her for team-high honors.
 
The Knights wrap up play in the Jayhawk Classic with a 10:30 a.m. (CT) match against the Bobcats of the University of New Hampshire, who dropped a five-setter to Texas State in the tourney opener and faced Kansas in the Friday night finale.
 
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