By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
No. 21 Baylor volleyball protected the net with an extra level of urgency on Sunday.
Not even 24 hours removed from a four-set victory over No. 24 UCF, the Bears more than quadrupled the number of blocks they had on Saturday, fueling them to a three-set win over the Knights on Sunday in the Ferrell Center.
Baylor had 13 blocks in the second match compared to three in the first.
“That was a big point of emphasis,” head coach Ryan McGuyre said. “It just changes the outcome of the set, the match and what teams are doing. … [It] limits how hard they’re swinging, and then we can get some more roll shots or tips because they’re trying to score other ways.”
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Alicia Andrew led the team with seven total blocks, all of them assisted. Andrew said the squad had a good sense of how UCF was going to exploit each row.
“There was a lot of talk at the net,” Andrew said. “I think that was helping us be prepared to know what’s coming. … And then we really made it intentional. I think everyone at the net took it upon themselves, made it personal, and then the blocking was a result.”
McGuyre also said he was pleased with the efficiency of the Bears’ (12-7, 6-3 Big 12) attack. His group logged nine errors out of 100 attack attempts.
“Less than 10% error, that’s something we’re trying to do [consistently],” McGuyre said. “Just nine errors compared to the 21 that we had yesterday, it’s half as less in less volleyball too.”
Junior outside hitter Elise McGhee recorded 13 kills on a .333 hitting percentage to pair with three errors. McGhee trailed redshirt sophomore outside hitter and opposite hitter Riley Simpson, who had 14 kills on a .379 hitting percentage. Simpson also suffered three errors.
McGhee said a combination of strong game planning by the coaches and what the team talks about during film allowed for the efficient offense.
“We’re always talking about how do we limit errors, what could you have done differently?” McGhee said. “And so I feel like just incentivizing that during practice plays and then obviously in the game, like, ‘OK, how do I manage?’”
McGuyre said sophomore setter Averi Carlson put the outside hitters in position to succeed. Carlson, who reached 2,000 career assists on Saturday, tacked on 33 more Sunday.
https://twitter.com/BaylorVBall/status/1715852426819797188?s=20
Baylor prevented UCF (16-4, 7-2 Big 12) from building momentum throughout the contest, only trailing two times across the entire match. The Knights were able to score more than two straight points on one occasion in the third set, managing just three in a row.
Baylor also limited UCF to one service ace on Sunday. The Knights entered the two-game series leading the NCAA in service aces per set with an average of 2.41 per set.
Four straight points pushed Baylor to a 14-7 lead in the first set, and it extended its edge to eight, which forced a UCF timeout. Knights junior outside hitter Emily Wilson trimmed their deficit to six with back-to-back kills, but three consecutive points by the Bears made it 21-12. Baylor kept rolling for a 25-18 first-set victory.
UCF kept it close through the first eight points of the second set until a 7-2 Baylor run forced a timeout. The Knights — once again — were unable to spark momentum, failing to put more than two consecutive points on the board. McGhee closed out the second set with a kill and lifted the Bears to a 25-17 win.
Baylor and UCF kept the score close for most of the third set. McGuyre called a timeout after the Knights scored three straight points for the first and only time in the contest. The Bears scored eight of the last nine points following the break and secured the three-set victory. Baylor mirrored the second set, winning it 25-17 on a kill by sophomore opposite hitter Allie Sczech.
No. 24 #UCF volleyball had one occasion in which it scored three straight points on #Baylor today. It came late in the third set, as the Bears managed to shut the door every time the Knights mounted two consecutive points. https://t.co/5kDbw7II9l
— Michael Haag (@MichaelHaag_) October 22, 2023
The Bears have now won five straight matches, including back-to-back sweeps in conference series. They look ahead to a test at No. 6 Texas, as they’re scheduled for a pair of 7 p.m. matches on Thursday and Friday.
McGuyre said he knows there’s a lot at stake when playing the Longhorns (14-3, 9-0 Big 12), especially this season.
“[This is the] last time we play Texas when they’re a part of the Big 12. We need to go get a win there,” McGuyre said. “Obviously, we’re seen by others as underdogs going into it, but we’re really looking forward to that match.”
Thursday’s match can be watched on FS1 and Friday’s on the Longhorn Network.
McGuyre said Texas gets eight days to prepare for these matches compared to Baylor’s three days.
“Big 12 gave us a tough schedule,” McGuyre said. “[But] our girls have been really good [at] taking care of their bodies and being fresh. … I think [if] we go get a couple of wins in there then we’re sitting right there and can be battling for a Big 12 championship still.”
