By Bennett Parker | Sports Writer
No. 18 Baylor volleyball entered Wednesday night searching for a tune-up match after facing the best team in the nation over the weekend.
The Bears found themselves dominating a struggling Incarnate Word team through two sets. Both sides were neck-and-neck throughout the third set, but the Cardinals forced a fourth set.
While Baylor (7-2) bent in that third set, it did not break to beat Incarnate Word (2-6) 25-10, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19.
The Bears are coming off of an impressive showing in Nebraska, where they swept a then-undefeated Georgia Tech and stayed competitive with No. 1 Nebraska.
Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Warren said there was lingering confidence after the strong performance.
“We were trying to push,” Warren said. “Coming out strong, and I think every game we played, we’ve been getting better at coming out stronger and stronger.”
Baylor came out swinging in the first set, where six different Bears logged a kill, dominating with a .433 hitting percentage. They also shut down Incarnate Word, who hit .000 in the first set to win 25-10.
Warren was leaned on heavily by the Baylor attack early with nine kills across the first two sets. She stepped up throughout the match, logging 14 total kills. Sophomore outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik was not as active as Warren, recording four kills in the first set and not playing in the second.
The Cardinals didn’t roll over, coming out in set two tied at seven. The Bears quickly pulled away behind a service run from sophomore setter Isabela Haggard, earning the Bears a 16-10 lead. Junior libero Taylor Crain’s ace put an exclamation point on the set as Baylor won 25-18
McGuyre rolled out some substitutions in the third set, but they failed to get the job done, dropping the set 25-23. The Bears’ hitting percentage dropped to .128 while the Cardinals hit at a .317 clip.
“I didn’t think we stayed as aggressive [in set three],” McGuyre said. “I think if we want to win conference, we got to be able to be just as dynamic and move the ball around … In November, there will be a higher sense of alertness with some execution.”
The starters came back out, and Rakhmanchik used the fourth and final set to find her groove, finishing the match with 11 kills on a .435 hitting percentage. Her play helped Baylor leave no doubt with a 25-19 win in the deciding set.
The win marks the start of a lengthy Baylor home stand that stretches into conference play.
“I love home matches,” Warren said. “Very fun. Nice to sleep in your own bed, for sure. I love being home with the fans.”
Haggard was all over the court against the Cardinals. She filled up the stat sheet with 37 assists, four blocks, a pair of kills and three digs while only playing three of four sets.
“She’s competitive,” head coach Ryan McGuyre said. “She just really wants to win, so she’ll do whatever it takes. I thought she brought energy to finish, brought energy to start and made some plays and executed those things well.”
The Bears wrap up the Baylor Classic against UTEP at 7 p.m. Friday at the Ferrell Center.
