By Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
No. 19 Baylor Volleyball opened conference play with a 3-1 win over Arizona, 25-18, 25-23, 16-25 and 25-17 Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center. It was the first defeat of the season for Arizona (11-1, 0-1 Big 12), and improved Baylor to 9-3.
The first point of the game came from a successful challenge, after the opening kill from senior middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe was incorrectly ruled an error. Back-to-back service aces from sophomore outside hitter Kendal Murphy kicked off a 5-0 scoring run. It was a clean start for the Bears, not recording an error until they’d taken a 13-8 lead.
Redshirt junior middle blocker Alicia Andrew combined with Bibinbe for eight kills en route to a comfortable first set win, 25-18. After the 13-8 start to the set, the Wildcats never got the deficit smaller than five.
The offensive efficiency was encouraging after some early season difficulties plagued the team. Four Bears recorded double-digit kills in the victory.
“We’re always trying to work on spreading our offense, and our passers did a really good job… When we’re in system and can run the middle, it’s hard to defend,” Andrew said.
“Offensively, we’re doing really well,” head coach Ryan McGuyre. “We did a good job being in rhythm.”
The second set was neck-and-neck throughout, with a whopping 17 ties and neither team finding a lead larger than two. Arizona’s star fifth-year senior outside hitter Jaelyn Hodge carried the Wildcats on her back, racking up 22 kills and 10 digs with a service ace to boot. Junior opposite hitter Allie Sczech came off the bench with a vengeance, recording 13 total kills and shutting the door on the second set, 25-23.
The Bears started the second set on their heels, falling behind 5-2. Baylor missed some key defensive assignments, allowing the Wildcats to hit .440 in the set to the Bears’ .179. Three service aces and four blocks added insult to injury, and Baylor’s six third set errors matched their total from the first two combined. Their struggles cost them the hard-fought but ugly set, 25-16.
But in the wake of a disappointing showing, the Bears were not to be deterred. They shook off the damage, put their heads down, and got back to work. Red-hot Alicia Andrew demolished the Arizona front line, finishing with 14 kills and a .591 hitting percentage. Sczech was right behind her with 13 and a .429, while Bibinbe tallied 10 with four blocks beside.
Graduate student setter Jackie Barrett Frazier got in on the action with a brutal misdirection kill to set up match point. She went up side by side with Bibinbe to block the final point, slamming the door 25-17.
With so many Bears finding offensive success, Barrett Frazier was able to record 42 assists and three blocks.
“It makes my job really easy, which is fun. It’s not like, ‘Who’s the hot hitter; who’s gonna get the kill?’ You can trust everyone,” Barrett Frazier said.
The Bears are back in action against No. 14 Arizona State at 7 p.m. Friday in the Ferrell Center.
