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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, September 18
Lawrence, Kan.
6 PM
Ole Miss
6-4,0-0SEC
0
at
3
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Kansas
6-3,0-0Big 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 19 | 22 | 13 | 0 |
| Kansas | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Volleyball Falls at No. 22 Kansas
9/18/2026 | Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Ole Miss volleyball program dropped the opener of the Jayhawk Classic, falling, 3-0, at No. 22 Kansas, on Friday night at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.
The Rebels (6-4, 0-0 SEC) were led by Melia Johnson, who tallied eight kills and three digs. Keirstyn Carlton made her return from injury, tallying four kills on .444 hitting while adding four blocks against the No. 22 Jayhawks (6-3, 0-0 Big 12).
In front of a raucous crowd, the Rebels battled hard, keeping the match tight heading into the technical timeout. The Rebels capitalized on six service errors before the break, while Shayla Meyer added three key swings to keep the set in check at 15-14. A mini Kansas run proved to be enough, as the hosts jumped out in front 19-15 and didn't look back, despite kills from Carly Paugh and Carlton. Ultimately, Kansas would prevail, 25-19.
The second set began with a much faster start from the Rebels, as the block began to get going. Two key blocks, alongside a pair of Kansas errors trying to go around the block resulted in an early 9-6 Rebel lead. While Kansas was quickly able to recover from the deficit, the Rebels proved to be a thorn in the side of the Jayhawks the remainder of the set. Kansas took a 20-16 lead, but the Rebels erased that to tie the match at 20-20 with a 4-0 run thanks to a Meyer ace and Carlton and Jaidyn Hartsifeld block. The Rebels thought they had the set tied at 21-21, but a challenge would reverse the call, leading the Jayhawks to take the lead for good and ultimately win 25-22.
The Rebels would fall into an early hole in the third set, as Kansas was able to force a quick timeout with an 11-7 advantage. That lead increased heading into the technical timeout, as Kansas emerged ahead 15-10. The Rebels attempted a regroup, but the relentless Jayhawks would not give in, eventually securing the set and match, 25-13.
The Rebels will wrap up the non-conference slate and Jayhawk Classic on Saturday, facing off against Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed via ESPN Plus.
Fans can continue to show support for the Rebels by joining the ACE Club. Funds from the ACE Club are a major component in helping the Ole Miss volleyball program compete at the highest level. For more information and to donate, click here.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
The Rebels (6-4, 0-0 SEC) were led by Melia Johnson, who tallied eight kills and three digs. Keirstyn Carlton made her return from injury, tallying four kills on .444 hitting while adding four blocks against the No. 22 Jayhawks (6-3, 0-0 Big 12).
In front of a raucous crowd, the Rebels battled hard, keeping the match tight heading into the technical timeout. The Rebels capitalized on six service errors before the break, while Shayla Meyer added three key swings to keep the set in check at 15-14. A mini Kansas run proved to be enough, as the hosts jumped out in front 19-15 and didn't look back, despite kills from Carly Paugh and Carlton. Ultimately, Kansas would prevail, 25-19.
The second set began with a much faster start from the Rebels, as the block began to get going. Two key blocks, alongside a pair of Kansas errors trying to go around the block resulted in an early 9-6 Rebel lead. While Kansas was quickly able to recover from the deficit, the Rebels proved to be a thorn in the side of the Jayhawks the remainder of the set. Kansas took a 20-16 lead, but the Rebels erased that to tie the match at 20-20 with a 4-0 run thanks to a Meyer ace and Carlton and Jaidyn Hartsifeld block. The Rebels thought they had the set tied at 21-21, but a challenge would reverse the call, leading the Jayhawks to take the lead for good and ultimately win 25-22.
The Rebels would fall into an early hole in the third set, as Kansas was able to force a quick timeout with an 11-7 advantage. That lead increased heading into the technical timeout, as Kansas emerged ahead 15-10. The Rebels attempted a regroup, but the relentless Jayhawks would not give in, eventually securing the set and match, 25-13.
The Rebels will wrap up the non-conference slate and Jayhawk Classic on Saturday, facing off against Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed via ESPN Plus.
Fans can continue to show support for the Rebels by joining the ACE Club. Funds from the ACE Club are a major component in helping the Ole Miss volleyball program compete at the highest level. For more information and to donate, click here.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
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/ VolleyballTeam Stats
UM
KU
Kills
25
47
Errors
15
12
Attempts
71
87
Hitting %
.141
.402
Points
32.0
61.0
Assists
24
46
Aces
2
9
Blocks
5
5
Game Leaders
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
4
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Tuesday, September 08
Tuesday, September 08
Sunday, September 06
Sunday, September 06