By Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
It came down to the very last point for No. 23 Baylor volleyball in its five set, 3-2, win over No. 18 Minnesota after taking the second, 25-16, third, 25-21, and fifth sets, 16-14, in the first game of the Big Ten/Big 12 challenge Friday night at the Ferrell Center.
The Golden Gophers (2-1), fresh off a win against No. 1 Texas, did not make it easy for the Bears (5-0), attacking early and often to jump out to an early lead. After starting the first set 10-5, Baylor came out of their first timeout with a 5-1 streak, but narrowly dropped the first set by two points, 25-23.
The Bears were in control for most of the second set, starting hot with an 8-1 run before finishing 25-16. Senior outside hitter Elise McGhee was a force of nature with 18 kills and four service aces. She lobbed the ball some 30 feet in the air before each serve, keeping the Golden Gophers on their back heels and forcing them to readjust.
The third set was a contentious affair, with neither team leading by more than three points until the Bears won the set 25-21. Setter Jackie Barrett Frazier, a graduate transfer from Auburn, played her role to perfection with 42 assists and 26 digs topped off by six kills of her own.
Minnesota dominated the fourth, taking it 25-17 while Baylor struggled defensively. The Golden Gophers exploited gaps on the other side of the net, their attacks consistently finding wood between defenders.
The tie-breaking final set was a thriller — the green and gold leapt to an early lead, with junior opposite hitter Allie Sczech and sophomore opposite hitter Kendal Murphy delivering kill after kill, tallying up 16 and 11, respectively.
“[She’s] been the heart and soul of us,” head coach Ryan McGuyre said of Sczech. “There’s something special about this team, for sure.”
The vaunted Golden Gophers refused to go without a fight, and rallied to tie the Bears at 14. Coming down to the wire, it was junior middle blocker Alicia Andrew who delivered the final kill, her seventh of the night to go along with five blocks.
With the win, the Bears improved to 5-0, their best start to a season during McGuyre’s nine-year tenure.
Baylor will face off with No. 6 Wisconsin (1-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Ferrell Center.
