By Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
No. 17 Baylor volleyball extended its winning streak to six, sweeping Texas Tech 25-17, 25-18, 28-16, on Wednesday night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock. The Bears dominated on offense and defense, totaling 44 kills and 14 blocks.
Texas Tech (12-12, 4-8 Big 12) kept tight margins early, with the score being tied 10 times in the first set. Baylor’s offense kept on hitting, with senior outside hitter Elise McGhee and sophomore outside hitter Kendal Murphy leading the way. Each ended the day with double-digit kills, and the first set with four and five, respectively.
But where the Bears (16-6, 8-3 Big 12) found many of their points was the self-inflicted wounds of the Texas Tech offense, who had as many errors as kills in the first set (10). The Red Raiders saw a brief 16-15 lead before Murphy and McGhee led the Bears on a 10-1 run to take the set, 25-17.
Though the Red Raiders played a considerably cleaner second set than the first, the Bears offense was even more efficient. With 17 kills and three service aces, Baylor hit at a dominant .389 percentage to Tech’s .212.
Graduate student setter Jackie Barrett Frazier came alive with two kills, followed by two service aces. Barrett Frazier ended the day with 31 assists and 13 digs for her 14th consecutive double-double.
Junior opposite hitter Allie Sczech got in on the action, finishing the evening with a pair of blocks to go along with her eight kills. She grew the Bears’ lead to 19-12, and the green and gold ran away with the second set 25-18.
The final set turned into a block party for the Bears, playing sturdy defense and keeping Texas Tech’s hitting percentage as low as .140. Sophomore middle blocker Victoria Davis was a brick wall in the third set, leading the team with nine blocks and adding five kills.
After McGhee scored the first kill of the set, her attack error tied it 1-1. From there, the Red Raiders gained and maintained a lead for the next 23 points.
Though trailing throughout the set, the Bears stayed in the fight. Each rally seemed to last an eternity, improbable digs disarming high velocity attacks. Head coach Ryan McGuyre called a timeout down 23-21 to regroup, and McGhee responded with a kill to cut the lead to one.
After a block from Sczech tied the set 24-24, the defensive duo of Davis and Barrett Frazier formed an impenetrable front, delivering block after block to keep the set alive. Davis’ hands were on each of Baylor’s last five points as they overpowered the Red Raiders, 28-26.
“I was impressed with how hard all of our middles have been working… tonight, Tori [Davis] really was the highlight, making some key blocks along with Jackie at the end,” McGuyre said. “I’m proud of how our defense showed up on the road.”
The Bears have now won their last six conference games, and sit at fourth place in the Big 12 rankings. Their next matchup will be against UCF Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Ferrell Center.
