By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
Despite a star performance from freshman outside hitter Kyndal Stowers, No. 14 Baylor volleyball lost to SMU in five sets on Wednesday at the Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The loss drops the Bears to 1-3 to start the season.
Even in the setback, Stowers had a strong outing in just her fourth collegiate game. The Co-Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year led all players with 29 kills, matching the next two Bears combined and nearly doubling her previous season total (35). She also led the team in digs, with 16, but it wasn’t enough.
The Mustangs’ (3-3) roster is flush with experience. Ten of their 14 players are upperclassmen or graduate-level players, including many who played on last year’s 22-win team. That experience, paired with home-court advantage at the Moody Coliseum, played in SMU’s favor late in the game. After being deadlocked for much of the game, the home squad ended the final set on a 5-1 run.
The game was competitive from the jump. The Bears pulled away to win the first set 25-21 behind 16 combined kills from Stowers and junior outside hitter Elise McGhee. The second set looked to be another runaway after Baylor took a 23-19 lead, but the Mustangs battled back, scoring six-straight points to take the set on two kills from SMU junior outside hitter Jamison Wheeler and four Baylor attack errors.
The third set also went the Mustangs’ way, as they capitalized on eight errors (five attacking, three service) from the Bears to win 25-21. Backs against the wall, Baylor returned serve, battling a late SMU rally to win 25-23. Stowers recorded the team’s final nine kills, more than the Mustangs scored as a team (eight).
The Bears jumped to an early lead in the final set. Baylor was up 6-4 before SMU went on a 4-0 run. The Bears nearly tied the game again at 10, but it was too little, too late. The Mustangs scored five of six to take the final set 15-10 behind three kills and two attack errors by Stowers.
It’s been a rough week for the Big 12 overall, which is 2-5 since Sunday. Those games notably include Iowa State beating Iowa, Texas Tech losing to North Texas and Abilene Christian, and No. 7 Texas dropping straight sets to No. 2 Stanford in a classic SEC-ACC matchup.
The SMU loss drops Baylor to 1-3 on the season, with all three losses coming on the road. The team will head back out on Friday for the Ram Volleyball Classic in Fort Collins, Colo., taking on Colorado State, Bowling Green and Pacific before a three-game home stand next week.
