For a moment late in the fourth and final set, the excitement took over and coach Ray Bechard raised his arms in the air as a missed Creighton kill landed wide.
That put Kansas three points shy of its first ever trip to the regional round of the NCAA tournament. But just as quickly Bechard composed himself for the next point, which was a kill by Creighton freshman Jess Bird that bounced toward Bechard.
When junior Chelsea Albers and freshman Tayler Soucie combined for the block to end with a 3-1 Kansas victory, the coach enthusiastically raised his arms once again.
This time there was no doubt, his team was headed to the regional, a first for both Kansas and Bechard. This is Bechard’s fifth appearance in the NCAA tournament in his 16 years at the University.
“I’m going to have to keep my composure,” Bechard said to his senior setter Erin McNorton as he prepared for a post-game press conference.
In the third set of the match, with the teams tied at 22 and one set apiece, Bechard called a timeout. In that specific situation and that specific score, he asked his team what it reminded them of; the answer was practice.
“Every day in the gym we have a 22-all drill,” Bechard said. “They know they gotta play clean, they gotta play smart and they gotta play hard, because you get in a lot of situations like that at the end of the game. That’s all I said and then I got out of their way.”
The Jayhawks left that timeout and won the next three points, taking the set 25-22. Then the momentum carried them to an early lead in the fourth set leading to the 3-1 victory.
The Jayhawks will play Washington, the No. 3 seed, in Los Angeles on Dec. 13 for the regionals. But to a basketball guy like Bechard, this feels like the Sweet 16.
“I’ve been at it quite awhile, and I guess if you stick around long enough, and these guys have let me stay here long enough, it’s going to happen eventually,” Bechard said.
Soon after Bechard and his players left the media room, Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth entered along with players welling up with tears.
Bechard knows what that disappointment feels like. A year ago he was in the same position, here at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas ended last season with 3-1 loss to Wichita State in the second round.
“You know, it was tough last year to say the least,” Bechard said. “We didn’t forget that feeling. That’s what makes it so cool tonight.”
After raising his arms in triumph, Bechard went into the stands to find the people that he most wanted to share the moment with. There was a section of about 30 people that Bechard reserved tickets for.
“I’ve got a lot of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews in the area that I guess either love Kansas volleyball or like me, I don’t know what the real answer is,” Bechard said.
Harold Bechard, one of coach Bechard’s six siblings, drives from Salina to see every match. He even drove to Wisconsin for a tournament earlier this season. Harold has been a professional newspaper reporter in Kansas since 1976, covering Big 8 and Big 12 sports.
Over the years his career has taught him to keep his emotions in check, but it’s different when he watches his brother’s team. Then it’s personal. He becomes a fan.
Harold said he could see more emotion from his brother on Saturday night as well, “he’s usually pretty calm.”
“Just to see him get over that next hump,” Harold Bechard said. “Just getting to the next level really helps the program and it’s something he’s been striving for for a long time.”
