Friday, August 27
Columbia, Mo.
10:00 AM
Creighton University
1-0,0-0Big East
3
vs
0
Kansas City
0-1,0-0Summit Leagu
1
2
3
F
Kansas City
23
13
12
0
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Volleyball Sweeps Season Opener vs. Kansas City
8/27/2021 11:30:00 AM | Volleyball
Norah Sis leads CU with 11 kills and four blocks
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Freshman Norah Sis had a team-leading 11 kills and four blocks in her collegiate debut to help Creighton Volleyball earn a 3-0 victory vs. Kansas City on Friday at the Mizzou Invitational in Columbia, Mo.
Scores in favor of CU were 25-23, 25-13, 25-12.
Creighton took a 9-1 lead to open the first set before the Kangaroos bounced back to within 14-12. Kansas City took its first and only lead of the match late in the first set at 22-21 before a service error evened the set at 22-all. Emily Bressman then checked in for the first time all season and served the next two Bluejay points -- kills by Sis and Annika Welty. The Roos staved off one set point before Sis' sixth kill of the set closed out the frame.
CU never trailed in the second or third sets, rolling to 25-13 and 25-12 wins, respectively. CU hit .407 in the second set and held Kansas City to -.069 hitting in the third game.
A Kansas City-area native, Welty tied Sis with four blocks and also added nine kills. Fellow Kansas Citian Kendra Wait had 32 assists and five kills in her Bluejay debut while directing the CU offense. Leading CU in digs was yet another newcomer, High Point transfer Abby Bottomley, who finished with 14 digs.
Creighton had 45 kills, six aces, 44 digs and eight blocks on .260 hitting.
Kansas City was paced by eight kills from De'Janae Arnold, who hit .462 in 13 swings. Summit League Player of the Year Melanie Brecka was held to five kills, the first time since 2019 she didn't lead UMKC in kills for a match. Two-time Conference Setter of the Year Alli Schomers, an Omaha Skutt product and former prep teammate of current Bluejay Megan Skovsende, led the Roos with 21 assists. Kansas City finished with 21 kills, one ace, 33 digs and seven blocks on .045 hitting.
Creighton returns to the court at 5 p.m. today when it meets Saint Louis.
NOTES: Naomi Hickman became the first player in program history to start five season-openers ... Creighton started a pair of true freshmen (Kendra Wait and Norah Sis) in the season-opener for the first time since 2012 (Melanie Jereb and Ashley Jansen) ... Creighton has now started 14 true freshman in the season-opener in Kirsten Bernthal Booth's 19 seasons at the helm ... Creighton improved to 15-2 all-time against Kansas City, including six straight wins in the series ... In addition to Sis, Wait and Bottomley, freshman middle blocker Abbey Milner also made her collegiate debut late in the third set ... Creighton improved to 18-10 since 1994 in season-opening matches, including a 14-5 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth ... Norah Sis' four blocks are tied for second-most in CU history for a debut, while her 11 kills were tied for fifth-most ... Kendra Wait's 32 assists are tied for fifth-most in a Bluejay debut ... Creighton had more aces (6) than service errors (5) in a season-opener for the first time since a 2013 win vs. No. 13 BYU.
Scores in favor of CU were 25-23, 25-13, 25-12.
Creighton took a 9-1 lead to open the first set before the Kangaroos bounced back to within 14-12. Kansas City took its first and only lead of the match late in the first set at 22-21 before a service error evened the set at 22-all. Emily Bressman then checked in for the first time all season and served the next two Bluejay points -- kills by Sis and Annika Welty. The Roos staved off one set point before Sis' sixth kill of the set closed out the frame.
CU never trailed in the second or third sets, rolling to 25-13 and 25-12 wins, respectively. CU hit .407 in the second set and held Kansas City to -.069 hitting in the third game.
A Kansas City-area native, Welty tied Sis with four blocks and also added nine kills. Fellow Kansas Citian Kendra Wait had 32 assists and five kills in her Bluejay debut while directing the CU offense. Leading CU in digs was yet another newcomer, High Point transfer Abby Bottomley, who finished with 14 digs.
Creighton had 45 kills, six aces, 44 digs and eight blocks on .260 hitting.
Kansas City was paced by eight kills from De'Janae Arnold, who hit .462 in 13 swings. Summit League Player of the Year Melanie Brecka was held to five kills, the first time since 2019 she didn't lead UMKC in kills for a match. Two-time Conference Setter of the Year Alli Schomers, an Omaha Skutt product and former prep teammate of current Bluejay Megan Skovsende, led the Roos with 21 assists. Kansas City finished with 21 kills, one ace, 33 digs and seven blocks on .045 hitting.
Creighton returns to the court at 5 p.m. today when it meets Saint Louis.
NOTES: Naomi Hickman became the first player in program history to start five season-openers ... Creighton started a pair of true freshmen (Kendra Wait and Norah Sis) in the season-opener for the first time since 2012 (Melanie Jereb and Ashley Jansen) ... Creighton has now started 14 true freshman in the season-opener in Kirsten Bernthal Booth's 19 seasons at the helm ... Creighton improved to 15-2 all-time against Kansas City, including six straight wins in the series ... In addition to Sis, Wait and Bottomley, freshman middle blocker Abbey Milner also made her collegiate debut late in the third set ... Creighton improved to 18-10 since 1994 in season-opening matches, including a 14-5 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth ... Norah Sis' four blocks are tied for second-most in CU history for a debut, while her 11 kills were tied for fifth-most ... Kendra Wait's 32 assists are tied for fifth-most in a Bluejay debut ... Creighton had more aces (6) than service errors (5) in a season-opener for the first time since a 2013 win vs. No. 13 BYU.
Team Stats
UMKC
CU
Kills
21
45
Errors
17
18
Attempts
89
104
Hitting %
.045
.260
Points
29.0
59.0
Assists
21
40
Aces
1
6
Blocks
7.0
8.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
DS
/ Volleyball
DS/OH
/ Volleyball
MB/RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ Volleyball#18 Creighton Volleyball Highlights vs. #4 Louisville - 9/12/25
Saturday, September 13
Creighton Volleyball Press Conference vs. Louisville
Saturday, September 13
Creighton Volleyball Unveils New Taraflex Court - 9/10/25
Wednesday, September 10
Creighton Volleyball Media Availability September 9
Tuesday, September 09
