By Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
No. 20 Baylor Volleyball fell 3-0 to No. 8 Texas in front of a packed Ferrell Center in the teams’ first non-conference matchup since spring 2021. Stout defense and a dynamic offensive approach led the Longhorns to 25-17, 25-23 and 26-24 wins.
Fans of both teams swarmed the arena, with the Baylor faithful cheering loud enough to force 10 service errors from the opposition. The full force of the Golden Wave Band was there to back up the Bears (7-3), and Baylor Mariachi Osos Dorados performed the national anthem before the game.
“It really means the world to our team… It makes such a huge impact on us. It makes playing volleyball so fun,” redshirt junior opposite hitter Alicia Andrew said.
But hordes of Texas devotees stained the seats burnt orange and roared for their team through all three sets. The Longhorns (4-3) started hot, finding holes in the Baylor defense with aggressive attacks and subtle touches. The mixed tempo kept the Bears off balance, and the home team struggled to find a rhythm in the first set. Even still, they kept the set close at 8-7 before Texas went on an 8-1 run from which the Bears couldn’t recover.
By the middle of the second set, Texas had 20 kills to Baylor’s 10, but the set stayed incredibly close. Neither team led by more than two points until the away team took a 15-12 lead.
Baylor’s defense tightened up considerably, dropping the Longhorns kill percentage to .231 after their full .500 in the first set. Senior libero Lauren Briseño recorded the 70th service ace of her career, and Andrew had three blocks along with senior middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe. The score was tied 12 times, but a late substitution error cost the Bears the set 25-23.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re making bigger swings, scoring swings,”
head coach Ryan McGuyre said. “It’s not the punch that we want to throw at the end.”
Despite disappointing offensive efficiency, Andrew continued her hot streak with eight kills on 15 attempts, including a momentum-stealing kill that ended a four-point run from Texas.
“It’s a big credit to the passers, they’ve been working really hard. It’s been a big focus in our gym,” Andrew said.
In a tight third set, the brick wall of Texas’ front row was too tight to overcome. Texas senior opposite hitter Madisen Skinner and redshirt senior opposite hitter Reagan Rutherford each posted double digit kills, while redshirt sophomore middle blocker Marianna Singletary had nine blocks against the Baylor offense. Despite a late 22-18 lead, the Bears ultimately fell 26-24 to the two-time defending national champions.
Baylor will be back in action at 7 p.m. Saturday against Hawaii (6-2) in the Ferrell Center.
