By Carson Vercoe | Sports Writer
Halloween is a time for treats and the occasional trick. While kids go door-to-door hoping for king-sized candy bars, some are like Charlie Brown and get a rock. Baylor athletics has seen its share of both this fall.
From teams climbing the national rankings to heartbreaking losses and setbacks, Baylor athletics has shown a little bit of everything. As Halloween creeps closer, it’s time to see what tricks and treats Baylor Athletics has so far.
Treat: Baylor soccer’s hot start
No. 7 Baylor soccer has started the season with a 10-1-1 record, picking up big wins all season long and climbing to No. 7 in the rankings.
The Bears have cemented themselves as a top team in the Big 12 through the halfway mark and show no signs of slowing down. They are currently riding a nine-match unbeaten streak going back to late August.
Senior midfielder Aryanna Jimison and senior forward Lauren Omholt have created many chances for the Bears, scoring a combined 11 goals so far.
Combine that with the experience of fifth-year goalkeeper Azul Alvarez, and the Bears have found themselves in a great spot as they head deeper into conference play.
Treat: Baylor football’s physical defense
Last season, Baylor’s defense was a huge weakness. It allowed 32.6 points per game, which ranked second-to-last in the Big 12.
The Bears brought in defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman as a result, and the defense has undergone major strides under him.
Baylor has already broken its sack total of 12 from a year ago, producing 18 sacks through the first five games. It has also forced 10 turnovers, tying for ninth in all of college football.
The defense is giving up 14.2 points per game, and if the unit can maintain this level of play, Baylor will be in a great spot at season’s end.
Treat: Baylor volleyball’s sophomore duo of Rakhmanchik and Haggard
Baylor volleyball has been inconsistent throughout the fall, but the constant has been the sophomore duo of outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmachik and setter Isabela Haggard.
Rakhmachik is currently fifth in college volleyball with 4.78 kills per set and 196 total kills for the season. Haggard has proven a solid setter for the Bears, leading the team with 469 assists this season.
This duo will need to keep producing if Baylor can find its consistency down the road.
But as good as the treats have been for Baylor athletics, it also has some tricks they would rather not have.
Every team has room for improvement, a tough schedule or the inevitable letdown, and as the Bears head into the thick of conference play, fans still have some reservations.
Trick: Baylor soccer’s pressure of expectations
Baylor soccer’s hot start has them soaring up the rankings and up the Big 12 standings.
But being ranked inside the nation’s top ten and leading the Big 12 standings comes with its own set of expectations.
The Bears will now have a higher standard in every game, no matter the opponent. They will have a target on their back for the rest of the season. Each opponent will bring their best as Baylor continues to go deeper into conference play.
The Bears have looked almost flawless so far, but the pressure of being one of the nation’s best could be too much for them, or will they thrive as the rest of the season remains to be seen.
Trick: Baylor football last three games of the regular season
Baylor football just came off its biggest win of the season in a 55-19 victory over Arizona State, putting together an all-around great performance, but the Bears still need to prove if they can carry that momentum into ranked matchups.
Baylor has shocked everyone’s expectations at the start of the season. The offense is finding its rhythm, and the defense continues to dominate, but the biggest tests come at the end of the season: games against No. 8 BYU, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 22 Houston.
The good thing for Baylor is that it has plenty of time to get right before this gauntlet, but these games will either make or break Baylor’s season.
Trick: Baylor volleyball’s inconsistency against the top 25.
After their loss on Sunday to No. 24 Colorado, the Bears are 0-4 against top 25 opponents this season.
Despite looking good against lower competition, Baylor hasn’t done the same in ranked matchups. It has won three of its 15 sets across four ranked opponents, including being swept by then-No. 17 Florida and No. 1 Nebraska.
The Bears have played well in their matches but just haven’t been able to put opponents away and aren’t keeping their foot on the gas.
If the Bears want to compete at the end of the season, they need to start finding consistency against tougher opponents.
With every treat comes a trick for Baylor, but the fall season is far from ending.
The Bears have already filled their bag with many treats, but the biggest ones may still be to come as October begins.
