By Shehan Jeyarajah
Sports Writer
Baylor volleyball won its last non-conference match prior to Big 12 Conference play against University of Texas-San Antonio on Tuesday. The Bears won the match 3-1, (25-17, 26-24, 24-26, 25-20).
With the win, the Bears moved to 8-8 on the season heading into Big 12 conference play.
Junior middle hitter Nicole Bardaji led Baylor with 16 kills and five blocks on a .243 hitting percentage. Bardaji hit double-digit kills for the first time on Saturday, and has now done it three straight times. Over those three matches, she is averaging 15.0 kills and 4.0 total blocks per match on a .303 hitting percentage.
Head coach Jim Barnes was pleased with Bardaji’s performance.
“She’s playing the way we knew she could,” Barnes said. “She just had to get used to playing, she’s never been a starter in the same way she is now.”
Sophomore setter Amy Rosenbaum contributed all around the court for Baylor. She finished with her first double-double, a career-high 50 assists and a career-high 19 digs for Baylor. She also added two kills and two blocks.
Baylor is at .500 for the first time this season. The Bears have won four of their last five matches and six out of the last eight.
“Our chemistry is really good out there,” Bardaji said. “We’re really starting to all work together. I think we’re ready for the Big 12.”
The Bears will begin their conference schedule with a road test against No. 25 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa this Saturday. The Bears then come home to play defending national champion No. 5 Texas on Wednesday Oct. 2, which will be broadcast on ESPNU.
