By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Head coach Ryan McGuyre challenges his players to lead from the moment they don the green and gold. The current class of freshmen has stepped up to that challenge.
After freshman libero Morgan Madison won Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors to start the season, freshman outside hitters Ksenia Rakhmanchik and Bailey Warren followed suit with a dominating performance Tuesday against UCF, leading the charge offensively and accounting for over 60% of the Bears’ total attacks.
The pair scored 20 of the team’s 32 kills as No. 21 Baylor (6-2, 1-0) swept UCF (7-3, 0-1) 25-16, 25-17, 25–23 to open conference schedule.
The Bears took command right away, jumping out to a 7-0 lead behind a pair of kills from Rakhmanchik. Warren took over by scoring three of the next four points to extend the lead to 11-3. UCF redshirt junior middle blocker Sasha Cohen tried to keep the Knights in it, recording four points on two kills and assisted blocks. UCF crept closer but did not get within five of Baylor, losing the first set 25-16.
Rakhmanchik finished the first set with four points, only trailing Warren’s five.
The momentum carried on for the Bears, scoring seven straight to start the second set up 7-1. Rakhmanchik led the way, sending forward three kills to partner with redshirt sophomore setter Harley Kreck’s two service aces. After some back-and-forth, Warren created more distance, tallying two consecutive kills to make Baylor’s lead eight.
Coming in as the second-highest scorer on UCF, fifth-year outside hitter Skylar English stepped up for the Knights. Three of her five kills in the set were key factors in UCF closing the gap to 15-13. The Bears held on to take a commanding 2-0 set lead.
English and the Knights tried to turn the tide in the third set. English’s seven points in the set led UCF to a 20-14 lead, but the Knights started to collapse after going up 22-17.
A service error by sophomore outside hitter Fallon Stewart and two attack errors from English put the Bears within one point. Two blocks from Warren and graduate middle blocker Gabrielle Essix gave the Bears a 24-23 lead. Sophomore outside hitter MJ McCurdy’s ace secured Baylor’s first conference win of the season.
The Bears scored efficiently throughout the match, winning over 55% of the points on their serve and serve receive. The Knights did not get above 45% on both sides. Baylor also recorded the same number of kills as UCF on 17 fewer attacks.
The Bears will return to their home state at 6 p.m. Friday, when they’ll face off against No. 2 Texas at Gregory Gymnasium in Austin.
