By Gio Gennero | Sports Writer
No. 9 Baylor (8-4,3-1) responded to their upset loss on Friday by getting a win over Texas Tech University (11-6,1-3) in four sets. Baylor played much better in their second matchup against TTU and looked comfortable in the win. Baylor has now won seven of their last eight matches.
Senior outside hitters Yossiana Pressley and Avery Skinner had spectacular performances, both with 20 kills. Skinner also notched a double-double with 10 digs. Skinner had consistent presence throughout the night while Pressley came up big when the team needed it most. Seemingly every time Tech tried to get things going, Pressley was there to halt momentum. Head coach Ryan McGuyre said he knows how important Pressley and Skinner are to the team.
“It’s essential,” McGuyre said. “You have to have your go-to players … These two are pretty much unstoppable down the stretch. If we can give them good balls to hit, they’re going to do great things for us; a great one-two punch tonight.”
After an off-night in their first match against Tech, Pressley looked like her normal self and put together a strong performance with 20 kills and eight digs. Pressley said she didn’t change her approach to the game as her focus is always doing whatever she can to help the team.
“Whatever role I’m in, I want to help my team,” Pressley said. “If that’s me digging, passing, serving well or blocking I’m going to do that to the best of my ability. Tonight was just hitting. It was great to get some kills, but as long as I’m serving my teammates, that’s what matters most.”
The Bears secured the first two points of the first set to take an early lead. Skinner set the tone early with three kills in a row to make it 5-1. Later in the set, a kill from Pressley would put the Bears up 15-8. Multiple kills from Pressley, and blocks from Baylor, kept momentum rolling as the Bears took a 21-12 lead. A lengthy rally between the teams had the crowd on their feet as Baylor scored their 24th point. The team would ride the momentum to a 25-13 set win.
The Red Raiders took an early 10-3 lead in the second set. However, a Pressley kill stopped the bleeding and gave Baylor some life. The Bears put together a run to cut the lead at 14-10 before a Tech timeout. Following the break, the teams went back-and-forth until a kill from senior opposite hitter Marieke van der Mark pulled the Bears to within two at 22-20. Despite closing the gap, Baylor lost the set 25-23.
Baylor reestablished their dominance in the third set as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead capitalized by a kill from Pressley. Later in the set, a soaring kill from Pressley put the Bears up 15-8. Skinner would contribute a powerful kill to increase the lead to 19-11. The hitter duo proved to be too much for Tech as the Bears got another solid set win at 25-17.
TTU would start the fourth set with a three-point run before Pressley responded with a kill to make the score 3-1. The Ferrell Center exploded after a Baylor block cut the lead to 10-7. Tech would try to silence the crowd with another three-point run, but a kill from Pressley to stop Tech’s momentum got them back on their feet. Tech later regained control, widening the gap at 17-12 before a timeout by the Bears. Baylor came out of the timeout strong and was able to tie the set up at 24-24. Baylor fans went wild as kills from Skinner and Pressley completed the comeback to give the Bears a 27-25 set win and the match 3-1.
The Bears will play the University of North Texas (9-7,2-2) next at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the North Texas Volleyball Center in Denton.
