photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Selena Leban and freshman Aurora Papac block the ball against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

Kansas volleyball has familiarized itself with playing in close matches, but on Sunday at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena, the 18th-ranked Jayhawks needed just three sets to take care of Arizona (25-15, 25-22, 25-19).

The victory marks coach Matt Ulmer’s first Big 12 Conference win, which he hopes is the first of many more to come.

KU had an up-and-down offensive performance, finishing with a .216 hitting percentage on the afternoon. Jovana Zelenović led the Jayhawks with a match-high 13 kills and a .409 hitting percentage. Grace Nelson chipped in 10 kills, while Selena Leban and Reese Ptacek had four apiece.

With the offense still trying to find a consistent rhythm, Ulmer said he is pleased with how his defense performed, limiting Arizona to a .109 hitting percentage, including holding one of the conference’s best hitters, Jordan Wilson, to three kills on 20 attempts and a -.350 hitting percentage,

“I thought we made a lot of nice digs, we followed the game play well, we blocked well,” Ulmer said. “Jordan Wilson is one of the best outsides in the country and the block really got to her.”

The teams traded points to open the first set, as a successful challenge by Arizona on a KU dig attempt deadlocked the scoring at nine. KU pulled away following the challenge, scoring 12 of the next 13 points to lead 21-10.

The Jayhawks (10-6, 1-1) closed out the set with a 25-15 win, earning the final four points via two Wildcat attack errors and two service errors, including on set point.

KU’s defense limited Arizona to a -.043 hitting percentage, and totaled four blocks, while Arizona also recorded five service errors.

“I thought that set the tone,” Ulmer said. “They started tipping the ball around and trying different tactics to try to make us play a little bit more in transition. We calmed down a little bit, and then we were able to pull away.”

Offensive struggles plagued the Jayhawks to open the second set. At one point were hitting -.105, allowing the Wildcats to create a 14-8 lead. KU rallied on a 9-3 run, as a kill by Ptacek tied the set at 17.

Neither team could separate itself before a successful challenge by Ulmer resulted in a kill by Zelenović to make the score 23-22 in favor of KU. Leban recorded her first kill of the match to give KU two set points, followed by another kill from Zelenović to close out the set, 25-22, and establish a 2-0 lead in the match.

While Zelenović is best known for her defense, with which she had five blocks against Arizona, her offensive production proved to be a big boost in the second as she recorded seven kills to keep KU in front.

“She’s just a stud,” Nelson said. “I would not want to be on the other side of the net against her.”

In the third, the Jayhawk offense started to find an early rhythm, getting kills from Zelenović, Ptacek and Nelson to lead 9-5.

Nelson had five of her 10 kills in the third set, and says that the connection between her and setters Katie Dalton and Cristin Cline are building with each match played.

“We’re really learning to trust each other, so I think I went into today’s match wanting the ball a lot more than I have,” Nelson said. “That’s something Matt’s putting emphasis on, like we need to trust each other and really want the ball to help each other out.”

The Wildcats battled back and held the lead on multiple occasions, including a 16-14 lead, before KU tied the score at 17 and ended the set on a 6-2 run, finished off by kills from Leban and Zelenović to claim the sweep. The Jayhawks hit .220 in the final set.

They will return to action on Wednesday, taking on No. 9 TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, at 6:30 p.m.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

The Kansas volleyball team celebrates its victory over Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Katie Dalton celebrates with teammates after scoring against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Sophomore Reese Ptacek and Kansas teammates put their hands together before breaking away for their next play against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Grace Nelson scores in the matchup against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Senior Katie Dalton celebrates with her Kansas teammates after scoring against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Freshman Logan Bell smiles after Kansas adds a point against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Grace Nelson attacks against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas coach Matt Ulmer talks to the team during a timeout in the matchup against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Jovana Zelenović spikes the ball and scores against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

The Kansas volleyball players celebrate a successful play against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Grace Nelson hits the ball over the net for a point against Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas volleyball players and fans stand for the national anthem leading up to the matchup against Arizona at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025.