No. 23 Baylor VB Falls in Three to No. 17 Kansas

Wed Nov 15 21:17:07 CST 2023

Media Materials Folder<https://baylor.box.com/s/69uadxyf8kd8n6jjvx8okg8lvl7f7e1a>
BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Nov. 15, 2023

No. 23 Baylor VB Falls in Three to No. 17 Kansas
Bears kept in step with Jayhawks

For more information contact: Madelon Allen; 254-252-7168, madelon_allen at baylor.edu<mailto:madelon_allen at baylor.edu>

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The 23rd-ranked Baylor volleyball team fell in straight sets to No. 17 Kansas on Wednesday night at Horejsi Family Arena, 3-0.

BU (14-11, 8-7 Big 12) couldn’t capitalize against KU (20-5, 11-4 Big 12) in the ranked midweek matchup. The Jayhawks took the first set, 25-16, but Baylor put up a fight in the second frame only to have it slip away, 27-25. The Bears kept in step in the third frame but saw it fall into KU’s hands, 25-21.

The Bears were led by Elise McGhee and Allie Sczech with 12 kills apiece, Manuela Bibinbe just behind with 11. Averi Carlson had another double-double with a team-leading 13 digs and 36 assists. From the service line, both Carlson and McGhee recorded aces. Four different players for BU had a block each.

Freshmen Kendal Murphy and Victoria Davis both saw significant time on the court, helping BU’s momentum in key moments.

THE RUNDOWN

Set 1

The first frame started with a long rally that was ended by Bibinbe with a kill. She followed it up two points later with another. McGhee got the kill to make it 3-3 before KU answered. Kansas served an ace and blocked the Bears, then another kill had McGuyre call time, the Jayhawks on a 4-0 run. Carlson got a kill when her dig popped all the way back to the end of KU’s side of the court, making it 7-4 Kansas. Alicia Andrew got a kill right after, followed by Bibinbe on the over pass, now 8-6. Bibinbe continued to get kills in the first set with another at 12-8. Another timeout was called as Kansas led by eight, 16-8, and Baylor had two block errors. The Bears got a kill from McGhee at 16-10, then Sczech at 18-11. Carlson served up an ace on the next play for the 61st of her career, McGhee getting the next kill to go on a run of three, 18-13. Two points went KU’s way before a service error stopped them, only for the Jayhawks to get the next kill and go on another run. The rest of the set belonged to Kansas, finishing the set at 25-16.

Set 2

Sczech started off the set with a kill for the Bears and a KU error had BU up by two. At 3-1, McGhee got a kill to keep momentum flowing, which Bibinbe capitalized on, getting a kill at 4-1. At 5-2, it was another kill from McGhee before a service error. Murphy entered the match to get a kill, up by three at 6-3. Kansas started to pull back, tying it at 6-6 before Murphy separated them by one again. The teams were trading points and Andrew made it 8-7. McGhee, Sczech and Bibinbe got kills, now up 11-9 before KU got a kill but then a service error. Murphy delivered two kills at 13-12 and 14-13, Sczech answering to get the 15th point to go into the media timeout. Andrew kept separation by two points with a big swing, then had another kill at 17-16 as KU kept close. Bibinbe got a kill at 18-16 to lead KU to call timeout, then Sczech got a kill a point later. McGhee got a kill and an ace to go up 21-18, followed by a Muprhy kill. The Jayhawks went on a 4-0 run to tie it at 23-all after being down for the majority of the set, Baylor calling timeout. Out of it, KU had a service error but then followed it by tooling the block, tying it again. They went up by one with a kill, and McGhee finished off a long rally with a kill, tied at 25. KU’s Ayah Elnady finished the set with a kill, 25-27.

Set 3

Once again, Sczech got the first BU kill of the set. Murphy got two kills for BU to go up 5-3, then Bibinbe avenged an attack error at 6-4. McGhee followed her with a big swing but KU answered. A Kansas error had a Baylor one come just after, but McGhee got the Bears scoring on offense again at 9-6. Elnady had an error but they followed with a kill. Sczech kept BU ahead by two, 12-10. A Murphy kill was challenged by Kansas successfully, the point difference now only one. Bibinbe stretched the lead to two, but a Kansas run started. The media timeout came and the Bears kept step with the Jayhawks but KU took a three-point run to go up 20-19, Baylor calling time. Kansas increased the run to five with two kills, going up 22-19, McGuyre calling for another timeout. Out of it, Kansas got a kill that stirred emotions, Sczech getting the redemption kill just after, now 23-20. Bibinbe got the next point to come within two, KU calling for a pause. KU got the next two kills to end the set and match, 25-21.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   The Bears started a new lineup of Andrew, Bibinbe, Briseño, Carlson, Dacosta, McGhee and Ulufatu.
  *   Kendal Murphy had a career-high seven kills.
  *   Tori Davis had a big block on her birthday with Murphy.

UP NEXT

The Bears return home to play two remaining Big 12 matches at the Ferrell Center, hosting West Virginia on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Houston on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.

- BaylorBears<http://www.BaylorBears>.com -

__________________________________

Madelon Allen | Associate Director of Athletics Communications
VB, A&T, BaylorBears.com
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-252-7168

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