By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Editor
Last weekend left the Baylor sports world reeling. Baylor fired head coach Dave Aranda, leaving plenty of questions throughout the week about what football would look like heading to Orlando. Well … those people got their answer in a high-stakes weekend of Baylor Athletics. Let’s get into it.
FB dominates UCF in 1st game under Klanderman
Energy has been the mantra for Baylor football since interim head coach Joe Klanderman took the reins of the program. He said he wanted to bring a “jolt of energy” to the team in his first press conference Monday and multiple players expressed that same sentiment Tuesday. It came to fruition Friday night in a 41-9 victory.
The Bounce House was rocking after UCF knocked off then-No. 2 BYU a week prior, but the Bears quickly silenced it. The defense dominated the Knights all game, generating seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The unit also allowed only 16 rushing yards until the final drive.
The offense kicked up the intensity, too. It was led by 12 explosive plays that resulted in two touchdowns to turn the noise level down a few notches. Junior quarterback DJ Lagway found the magic he had against Arizona State, throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Klanderman was doused in water throughout the celebration as he was awarded the game ball for his first win as a head coach.
SOC falls in battle for 1st in Big 12
No. 8 Baylor soccer traveled to Lubbock to fight for the top spot in the conference Friday night. Both the Bears and No. 11 Texas Tech entered the match deadlocked for first with a 7-1-1 conference record.
The defenses controlled the match throughout the rainy night until the 76th minute. Red Raider midfielder Gianna Gregoire rushed from the corner toward the Bears’ goal, lifting a shot over a sliding fifth-year goalkeeper Azul Alvarez. The goal was the difference maker as Texas Tech held on for a 1-0 win to remain atop the Big 12 while Baylor fell to second.
VB falls in five-set thriller to No. 16 TCU
No. 24 Baylor volleyball got the best of the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth a couple of weeks ago, completing the sweep for its first ranked win of the season. Friday night was the opportunity for the Bears to go 2-0 against their rivals or for TCU to even things up.
The match went back and forth. The Horned Frogs won sets one and three while Baylor took two and four to set up a decisive fifth set for the third straight match. The Bears’ offense came up short, recording six kills and five errors on 26 total attacks in the final set as they dropped the five-set thriller 3-2. Baylor will have to wait for its first home ranked win of the season.
Coming up this week…
- FB takes on Iowa State in the Homecoming game at 11 a.m. Saturday
- MBB opens up its season against Northwestern State at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 4 p.m. at Foster Pavilion
- WBB begins its campaign with three games at home: FDU at 6 p.m. Monday, Central Arkansas 7 p.m. Thursday, Texas A&M-Corpus Christ at 2 p.m. Sunday
- SOC closed the regular season against Houston at 7 p.m. Thursday at Betty Lou Mays Field
- VB travels to take on Kansas at 6 p.m. Thursday and Kansas State at 2 p.m. Sunday
- MTEN hosts ITA Sectionals at the Hurd Tennis Center Thursday through Sunday
- WTEN heads to Fort Worth for the ITA Central Sectional Championship Thursday through Sunday
- EQ faces off against Auburn at 11 a.m. Friday at the Willis Family Equestrian Center
Soccer and volleyball got a trick, but football got a treat this Halloweekend. Now it’s time to get into the fall college sports equinox. Soccer and volleyball begin to wrap up the regular season, football hits an important stretch, and basketball season is finally here in Waco. If you’re ever bored and longing for the end of the semester, go watch a sport. I bet there’s something happening every day.
— Jeffrey Cohen
