So many things have held Kansas University back in its current eight-match volleyball losing streak.

Sometimes it was a tougher opponent. Sometimes, too many unforced errors.

Wednesday night, as strange as it sounds, it might have been good sportsmanship.

With Game Three against Colorado tied at 26, Kansas’ Dani Wittman was whistled for a delay-of-game penalty for not serving the ball within the allotted five seconds.

The Jayhawks never recovered from the momentum-buster, dropping the game and eventually the match 26-30, 32-30, 30-27, 30-21 to the Buffaloes.

Wittman’s only fault was wanting to play fair. Though the official had blown the whistle to signal the serve, Colorado players still were talking with coaches and also shuffling into the game from the sidelines.

“She was still seeing the Chinese fire drill going on the other side,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “They were trying to get people in and out, and through that confusion, the five seconds ran out on her.”

The soft-spoken Bechard was anything but when voicing his opinion of the call, with the Kansas bench receiving a yellow card in Game Three.

“It was a little punch in the gut,” Bechard said. “What do you say? It’s like you hand them a free point when they’re obviously a little bit unorganized.”

The violation, which Bechard said he never had seen in all his years of coaching, came at a pivotal time.

With the games split at 1-all, the call gave Colorado an important side-out and also a late lead at 27-26.

Left-handed Alex Buth followed with a pair of service aces, and Kansas’ Josi Lima sailed a return two points later to end Game Three.

The Jayhawks started strong in Game One, going on eight- and seven-point runs in a dominant 30-26 victory.

“It was really a very spirited effort on our part,” Bechard said. “That’s some of the best volleyball I’ve seen here in some time.”

Colorado gained a 25-18 lead in Game Two before Kansas fought back. The Jayhawks rallied for 12 of the next 16 points to take a 30-29 advantage before allowing three straight Buff points.

“We played well in stretches,” KU sophomore Emily Brown said. “It was just hard to finish a game.”

Colorado, which received votes in the latest top-25 poll, has won seven of its last eight matches against Big 12 Conference opponents.

Paula Caten led Kansas with 17 kills, with Brown adding 16.

Wittman and Lima each contributed four service aces.

Kansas will try to snap its losing streak at No. 24 Kansas State on Saturday.

“When things aren’t going quite like you hoped, those things seem to find you,” Bechard said. “You’ve just got to overcome that.”