Mathewson propelling Wildcats

Intense.

It seems that is the word unanimously used throughout the Kansas State Volleyball program to describe the play of libero Lauren Mathewson.

And it's fitting.

After watching just one match of the junior from Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., it becomes clear that her personality and role on the court for the Wildcats is unique.

"She's just driven," junior outside hitter JuliAnne Chisholm said. "She doesn't put up with anything. She just does the job and gets it done and she doesn't mess around.

It's that attitude from the K-State defensive specialist that has anchored the Wildcats (10-14, 4-10) during perhaps their most successful week in conference play thus far.

But it is a role that she is familiar with.

"I have always been like that," Mathewson said. "I have always been intense and a motivator. It's exciting and I like doing it."

Last Wednesday, her school-record 41 digs propelled the Wildcats over the 23rd-ranked Texas A&M Aggies. It was the Wildcats' first victory over a ranked opponent since Aug. 24, 2007 and only the second of Mathewson's career at K-State.

"I went into that game just trying to make everyone around me better, be a great leader out there and motivate everyone," Mathewson said. "It allowed me to have fun."

She followed the performance with 18 digs in a 3-1 win over Texas Tech, bringing her total to 59 during the two-game span. The two-game performance earned Mathewson her first Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week recognition.

"She encourages. She is definitely the mouth of our defense," Chisholm said.

And for the remainder of the season, the KSU players will look to their vocal defense leader to help end their season the way they would like to.

"She's been really important," head coach Suzie Fritz said of Mathewson's presence on the volleyball court.

The next step in that process will begin tonight as K-State travels to Lawrence to take on their in-state rival Kansas. The Jayhawks embarrassed the Wildcats in their first meeting at Ahearn Field House in October.

"We played very poorly the first time we played them," Fritz said. "I thought they played in contrast very well. It was an off night for us."

In their previous match with the Jayhawks, the Wildcats were swept 3-0, suffering only their fourth loss to KU since the inception of the Big 12 conference.

However, Chisholm said her team has grown a significant amount since the home loss to KU on Oct. 17.

"We have changed a ton," Chisholm said. "We have made a lot of improvements. We are still working on playing well over time and putting the complete game together. We're ready to go."

The Jayhawks enter the match on the heels of a two-game road trip in which they traded sweeps, sweeping Colorado before getting swept against Oklahoma. With the split, the Jayhawks are currently sitting one game ahead of K-State in the Big 12 standings at 5-9, good for eighth place.

Manhattan Mercury file photo.

Chipman experienced it all at K-State

Three years ago, Kelsey Chipman made her presence known to the Kansas State volleyball team. It was late in her freshman year, and while she had already been a consistent contributor for the Wildcats throughout the season, an early November match was different.

During that match in Boulder, Colo., Chipman -- now a senior -- was vital in the Wildcats' ability to push the match into a deciding fifth set after trailing 21.

The Topeka native recorded a career-high 20 kills and 15 assists in the match, securing her the first double-double of her career.

KSU coach Suzie Fritz knew Chipman would eventually play to that potential, but this seemed a bit early.

"Every player has a breakthrough at some point in time where you can tell that things are starting to come for them," Fritz said. "They are not thinking about where they are suppose to be standing anymore, they are thinking about making plays.

"Everyone has that breakthrough and I think that was it for Kelsey. It's not that I didn't expect it, maybe I just didn't expect it that early."

Chipman said that she was not aware of the numbers she was putting up that night. Yet she did know that she felt more comfortable on the floor than she had in previous matches that season.

"I think my freshman year I was so worried about trying to do the right thing," Chipman said. "After one game your confidence kind of builds and that is necessary in this league or else you are never going to survive."

That breakthrough performance her freshman year led to a career that has produced a consistent and impressive career at K-State. Chipman has grown into one of the premier middle blockers in the Big 12, ranking second this season with a .351 hitting percentage.
She completed her junior campaign with a .354 hitting percentage, good for third in the Big 12.

It's that consistency that has won over the respect of her teammates throughout her career at K-State.

"She is just one of those players that is always there," KSU junior Lauren Mathewson said. "She doesn't take a day off, she is always working hard and always trying to get better."

Her teammates have been depending on her consistent offensive production this season as the Wildcats have struggled through a difficult 2009 campaign. Following a sweep in Austin, Texas by the Longhorns on Wednesday, the Wildcats dropped to 10-17 overall and 3-13 in Big 12 play.

But on Saturday, she will have a chance to repeat her performance from her freshman year, as the Wildcats will face Colorado at Ahearn Field House, beginning 2 p.m. It will be senior night f o r C h i p m a n , a n d t he se n i o r cl a ss including setter Soriana Pacheco and manager Melissa Watson.

Fritz said it will be a bittersweet moment for her on Saturday due to the lack of the Wildcats have seen this season against Big 12 competition which has eliminated them from postseason contention.

"I'm just sorry that this hasn't ended the way in which she [Chipman] deserves," Fritz said. "That's what I am maybe the most remorseful about. She deserves more from her senior year and we weren't able to give that to her.
It's totally emotional. I don't know what the team will be like without Kelsey Chipman. I don't have to worry about it for a week and a half."

Yet Chipman feels that while the team has not experienced the success she had wanted this season, she hopes that the career and legacy she has left at K-State will out weigh what the 2009 season produced.

"I don't think it is a bad thing to expect more from your team, and yourself," Chipman said. "It's not a bad thing to want more than you have. I think that is a good quality to have in anyone. I'm not satisfied with the way things are now and I'm not happy with the way that I have to leave this program, but I have had some great memories and been apart of some great teams and some great seasons and I have met some great girls."

Staff photo by Rod Mikinski The Manhattan Mercury.

Cats shock Aggies in five sets

Wednesday afternoon the Kansas State volleyball team wasn't concerned with its win total. It wasn't concerned with its position in the Big 12 conference, either.

All it was concerned about prior to its match against the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies was that it felt this night was going to be different.

And so they made it known. Not only in their conversations with KSU coach Suzie Fritz before the match, but they followed it up with a tone set early in the first set.

"Going into the match, I had a least four players tell me `We are going to get this one,'" Fritz said. "Which is kind of unusual."

Unusual, yes, especially for a team that has had a rocky conference season, producing only two victories heading into Wednesday's match.

But Fritz's players wasted no time proving their unusual suspicions were correct as they defeated the Aggies in five sets -- 25-20, 25-27, 25-22, 21-25, 16-14 -- a team that swept KSU less than a month ago.

"We just played with so much composure and confidence," Fritz said. "I am extremely proud of them."

The victory gave the Wildcats (9-14, 310) their first win over a ranked opponent inside Ahearn Field House since Nov. 16 2005, when they defeated No. 24 Colorado -- also in five sets.

Meanwhile the Aggies dropped to 147 overall and 7-6 in Big 12 play.

The Wildcats built their momentum early as they got off to a quick start offensively in the first set, something they felt they have struggled with throughout the season.

"This is the first game that I can say that we have started off strong," junior libero Lauren Mathewson said. "We were focused and didn't lose our concentration."

Mathewson recorded 41 digs in the match, setting a new school record and falling just one dig shy of the Big 12 record. It was also her second consecutive match with more than 30 digs -- a feat that has never happened at K-State.

"We just really wanted to win, we were looking for this win and we fought like crazy, and I think all of us showed tremendous effort and courage. We really grew up tonight," Mathewson said.

Following the first set, the experienced Aggie squad responded as they took a 12-9 early lead on the Cats. K-State came back though, tying the game at 24. But a wide hit by Kathleen Ludwig following point by the Aggies gave Texas A&M the victory and tied the match at two sets.

The Wildcats regrouped in the third set and were able to overcome a 7-2 run by the Aggies that gave Texas A&M a 13-12 lead midway through the set. Texas A&M built momentum throughout the set by way of three service aces, but KSU responded and ended the set with three consecutive kills by senior Kelsey Chipman to win 25-22.

"There was a little stretch there in game 2 where I felt like we were hurting ourselves," Fritz said. "But we worked our way out of it."

The Wildcats and Aggies exchanged set victories again in the third set and fourth set, forcing a deciding fifth and final set.

That fifth set looked dim for the Wildcats, however, as they quickly found themselves trailing 11-6 following consec utive kills by seniors Jennifer Banse and Mary Batis.

Following the Aggie kills, Fritz took her second and final , timeout of the set.

"I remember saying `You can do this,'" she said. "(I was) just trying to get them to think that way, and that it was not over."

They responded.

Junior JuliAnne Chisholm and freshman Caitlyn Don ahue sparked the offense fol lowing the timeout and com bined for six kills to end the set at 16-14 and end the match at 3-2 in favor of K-State.

Following Chisholm's final kill, it was difficult for the team contain their composure as it immediately left the bench and celebrated on the court.

"It feels really good," Chipman said. "It's so great to finally play to our potential. It would have been really easy for us to give up when we were down, but we kept going and kept pushing. I was really proud of everyone tonight."

K-State will return to action Sunday as it hosts Texas Tech in a match that was postponed earlier this season. First serve is set for 6 p.m.

Image courtesy K-State Sports Information