“Block that sh*t”: Ryan Kalkbrenner and team hyped after Creighton women’s volleyball team’s NCAA semifinal win

Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner and other players paused their practice session on Friday due to the ongoing NCAA volleyball semifinals. The program's women's volleyball squad was facing the two-time defending champions, the Texas Longhorns, for a shot at the national title.

A clip shared by ESPNW showcases the Bluejays' men's basketball players watching the volleyball team's winning point on TV. It also captured one player's reaction to the live game as the Longhorns deployed a smash to get the ball past their court.

"Block that s***," the player said.

Moreover, men's basketball coach Greg McDermott was the first to showcase Ryan Kalkbrenner and other players' support for the women's volleyball roster through an X post.

"We don’t stop practice for much. Congratulations ⁦@CreightonVB !! Keep letting it rip!! #RDJ," McDermott captioned the video.

The No. 2 Bluejays women's volleyball team defeated the No. 3 Longhorns in the regional semifinals at State College, Pennsylvania, behind a 3-1 set. It was a significant win, as Texas, a four-time NCAA winner, is one of the longtime powerhouses in the sport.

The win also gave Creighton a chance to appear in the final four of the NCAA title, something the school had never done yet. The Bluejays volleyball team will face the No. 1 seed, Penn State, in the regional final on Sunday.

Ryan Kalkbrenner and the team are headed for their first road test

Creighton played its last game on Dec. 7, giving it ample rest before the team heads for its first road game of the season. The unranked Bluejays play No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday after a six-day rest.

"Usually we get a few practices to work ourselves," Ryan Kalkbrenner said. "This week we’ve been a little banged up, so Mac gave us a little more time to rest and recover and get the injuries taken care of."

Fans expect nothing short of victory as the Bluejays recover back to health. However, Greg McDermott is simply focused on learning more about his team from the game on Saturday.

"We haven’t played in that environment, obviously it’s going to be a great environment on Saturday night," McDermott said. "I think Alabama, from a talent perspective, is one of the top two or three teams in the country. They just keep bringing guys at you off the bench, and they’ve done an unbelievable job of assembling that roster and team."

Ryan Kalkbrenner and Creighton have played seven home games so far, defeating the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks for a 6-1 record. The remaining three games were back-to-back neutral site contests, resulting in a losing 2-1 endeavor.