Baylor outruns UT-Arlington Mavericks 3-1

Middle hitter Adrien Richburg (20) spikes a hit against Rice on Sept. 2. Baylor beat the Owls 3-1. Skye Duncan | Lariat Photographer
Middle hitter Adrien Richburg (20) spikes a hit against Rice on Sept. 2. Baylor beat the Owls 3-1.  Skye Duncan | Lariat Photographer
Middle hitter Adrien Richburg (20) spikes a hit against Rice on Sept. 2. Baylor beat the Owls 3-1.
Skye Duncan | Lariat Photographer

By Cody Soto
Sports Writer

Baylor took a 4-set win over UT Arlington Tuesday evening at the College Park Center to improve to 5-2 on the season.

Junior outside hitter Andie Malloy led the Bears with 19 kills and 11 digs in the 26-24, 25-23, 21-25, 25-16 win. Redshirt freshman Katie Staiger and junior Adrien Richburg added with 12 kills each. Richburg had a .391 attacking percentage in the match. Junior outside hitter Thea Munch-Soegaard also added double-digit kills with 11.

Senior Hope Ogden added 16 digs and freshman Jana Brusek added 11 digs as the team’s liberos in the 4-set win for the Bears.

Junior setter Amy Rosenbaum led all players with 54 assists for Baylor compared to UT Arlington’s 54 assists as an entire team.

The Bears started out slow and trailed early 12-10 before going on a 4-0 run to take the lead after a kill from Munch-Soegaard. Baylor soon fell behind the Mavericks (7-2) but built a comeback late in the set to tie the game 24-24.

The Bears took the next two points after a kill by Richburg and a block by Malloy and Richburg, winning the first set 26-24.

The Mavericks quickly fired back and took an early 7-1 lead over the Bears in the second set and forced head coach Jim Barnes to take a timeout. Baylor fired back and tied it up 11-11 and 23-23, respectively.

Baylor took the set 25-23 after a service ace by Brusek, and the team headed into the locker room with a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, Baylor trailed the entire set. The Bears pulled within one point before the Mavericks kicked out the lead with a 7-0 run and an 18-10 lead. Baylor returned the favor with a 6-1 run to pull within three points late in the third set. The Mavericks took the 25-21 set win to force a fourth set.

Baylor started out the first set and lead 10-4 before the Mavericks were forced to call a timeout. The Bears maintained the lead for the rest of the match, easily taking the set 25-16 and the match 3-1.

With the win, Baylor avenged two straight losses to the Mavericks after a 4-set loss in Waco last season.

Baylor will travel to Washington D.C. and participate in the George Washington Tournament this weekend. The Bears will open their tournament play with two Friday matches against Illinois State at 11 a.m. and George Washington at 6 p.m. They will play their last match against Columbia on Saturday at 11 a.m.