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<b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Sept. 14, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">No. 20 Baylor VB Falls in Five at No. 11 Florida<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Manu Bibinbe’s career-high 18 kills lead BU</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">For more information, contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280,
</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Volleyball Media Materials:<b>
</b></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://baylorbea.rs/vbmedia"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0432FF">https://baylorbea.rs/vbmedia</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0432FF;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">GAINESVILLE, Fla. – </span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">No.
20 Baylor volleyball pushed No. 11 Florida to the brink, but came up just short in a five-set thriller, falling 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Exactech O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears fell behind early in the match as Florida rode a 6-0 run in the middle of
the first set to go in front 17-10 and never looked back, clinching the opener 25-20.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor answered in the second, hitting .239 behind Manuela Bibinbe and Gabrielle Essix
to secure a 25-22 victory and even the match. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The third was a back-and-forth battle featuring 14 ties, including five at 21, 22,
23, 24 and 25, only to see the Gators reel off back-to-back points and secure the pivotal third set 27-25.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-22 triumph in the fourth, capped by
a Bibinbe kill, one of her six in the set. Florida quickly grabbed control of the final stanza though, jumping out to a 10-5 lead and sealing the 15-9 decision with consecutive service aces.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Bibinbe delivered a career-high 18 kills, connecting at .429%, tying a career-high
with seven digs and adding 1.5 blocks for a match-high 19.5 points. Essix, returning to Gainesville after four seasons with the Gators, posted a season-high 13 kills to go along with 1.5 blocks and 14.5 points.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Junior Victoria Davis and Freshman Bailey Warren added 10 kills each, as Warren recorded
her career-first double-double. Freshman Ksenia Rakhmanchik just missed hers, chipping in nine kills and 10 digs. Setter Harley Kreck distributed a career-best 42 assists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">As a team, Baylor hit .231 with 69 kills and 5.5 team blocks, out-killing Florida
69-57. BU, now 1-2 in five-set matches this season, drops the Bears to 5-2 overall, while Florida improves to 5-2.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The Bears continue their sunshine swing with their Big 12 opener at UCF on Tuesday,
Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. CT, streaming live on ESPN+.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at
</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="https://baylorbears.evenue.net/list/VB"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue;background:white">Baylorbears.com.</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">
Follow @BaylorVball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">—Baylorbears.com—<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts | Director of Athletic Communications
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<br>
C: 254-227-2280</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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