By Gio Gennero | Sports Writer
Hitting home for the first time this season, No. 15 Baylor volleyball (4-2) swept Colorado State University (4-3) Thursday evening at the Ferrell Center in the first of three matches in the Baylor Invitational.
“Both weekends, we were a little slow in the first sets of both,” Head Coach Ryan McGuyre said. “It’s a mentality that I know we have, and we’ll get to, it’s just as we continue to mature as a team to realize, we can do that from the start and be good on the seven points. Just part of our consistency. The speed of the game at this level is really fast. I think for our young ones, it takes time for their eyes to get acclimated sometimes, to all that’s happened. And then once they catch up to the speed, we start playing better.”
Big 12 Rookie of the Week freshman outside hitter Riley Simpson, and senior middle blocker Kara McGhee led the way in kills with nine apiece. McGhee also piled in eight blocks, a game high. Freshman setter Averi Carlson racked up 35 assists in just three sets.
The match was back-and-forth early on, as the two teams traded three-point runs to start the first set. However, a 6-to-2 run from the Rams created separation as it took a 9-4 lead. The feisty Bears didn’t go away quietly though, they fought to even the score at 14 midway through the set. The tally remained tight the rest of the way, but Baylor was able to take a 19-18 lead forcing a CSU timeout. The Bears held on to their lead, taking the first set 25-22.
After switching sides, Baylor took a 6-4 lead to kick off the second set. As the contest continued, the Bears began to separate themselves on their way to a 17-9 lead. Baylor’s impenetrable blockers anchored the defense as they rolled to a 25-19 set win.
“At home, to go up 2-0 on a team is pretty good, and you feel like you can get into that third set and knock them out,” McGuyre said. “We were probably in a position where we were ready to do that.”
The entire third set was very close, each team had to scrap for every point earned. The entire set remained within two or three points as neither team could gain much momentum. Baylor was able to claw their way to a 30-28 win, completing the sweep.
Up next, the Bears remain at home to face Arizona State University at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the Ferrell Center.
