Wildcats coach Susie Fritz talks to her players during a time-out. Photos by Michael Schweitzer

Following their first conference victory of the season on Wednesday, a solid 3-1 victory over Missouri, it seemed as if the Wildcats had built the momentum needed to make a run in conference play.

That run would have began with a victory over in-state rival Kansas on Saturday afternoon, a team the Wildcats hadn't lost to since October 2006.

But the inconsistencies that plagued K-State during the first leg of conference play were present at Ahearn Saturday afternoon, and contributed to a 3-0 (21-25, 21-25, 22-25) sweep by the Jayhawks.

The Wildcats’ Lauren Mathewson attempts a dig against Kansas on Saturday at Ahearn Field House.

It was the fifth sweep the Wildcats (7-11, 1-7) have suffered during Big 12 play.

"I thought it was as bad as we have played all year," head coach Suzie Fritz said after the match.

With the win, the Jayhawks remained in front of the Wildcats in the Big 12 standings after holding a one game advantage, and picked up their first conference road win of the season.

The victory was only the third for the Jayhawks over K-State since the conception of the Big 12 conference.

The Wildcats played a strikingly different style of volleyball from just four days earlier against Missouri. K-State was unable to string together serving rallies against the Jayhawks (10-8, 3-6) in each of the three sets, an aspect of Wednesday's match that the Wildcats felt was critical in their win over Missouri.

"Something changed," senior middle blocker Kelsey Chipman said. "Something for sure changed."

During the second set of Saturday's match, the Wildcats tied the Jayhawks five times, yet were unable to take a lead once.

"We didn't do that (string rallies together) today." Junior outside hitter JuliAnne Chisholm said. "It's just deflating."

That inconsistencies are what Fritz said she has been stressing to the team for the entirety of the season. But she sees it on a scale of the entire play of her team in every aspect of the game.

"At times we are seeing very positive things." She said. "We are one good play, one bad play on a good day. I think until we can become a team that is good over time, then we are going to experience some of this."

The Wildcats had an opportunity to force the match into a fourth set late in the third set. After a kill by senior middle blocker Kelsey Chipman, K-State found themselves tied with the Jayhawks 20-20.

It was the beginning of a three-point run that pushed the K-State lead to 22-20. However the Wildcat defense let up, and Kansas produced a run of their own to end the set, and take the match with a 25-22 win in the set.

JuliAnne Chisholm tries to hit the ball over the net while several Jayhawks’ players look for a jump block. The Wildcats lost to KU for the first time since 2006 as the Jayhakws completed a three game sweep on Saturday at Ahearn Field House.

"We didn't keep any kind of defensive pressure on them whatsoever," Fritz said of her teams play throughout the match. "It was a much difference performance from Wednesday night; very inconsistent."

Following the loss, the Wildcats are scheduled to travel to Boulder to face the Buffaloes in a conference match-up on Wednesday. First serve is set for 8pm.