Aug. 26, 2016 Box Score | Photo Gallery 
THE RUNDOWN WACO, Texas - Baylor volleyball (0-1) dropped a 3-1 decision to UT Rio Grande Valley in the team's 2016 season opener at the Hampton Inn Waco North Baylor Invitational Friday night.
BU was led by redshirt junior Katie Staiger, who finished with a career-high 28 kills and 15 digs. It was her first double-double since Sept. 3, 2014 against Texas State.
Senior setter Morgan Reed led all players with a career-high 56 assists and added 17 digs for her first career double-double as a Bear.
Junior libero Jana Brusek finished with a match-high 20 digs in the four-set loss.
The Bears got out to a fast start, but UTRGV (1-0) put together a 6-0 run to take an 11-8 lead in the first set. A Staiger kill helped BU tie up the match 21-21, but a Baylor attack error ended the set, giving the Vaqueros a 25-23 set win and an early 1-0 lead.
Baylor fought back quickly, jumping out to a 19-12 advantage. UTRGV pulled within one after consecutive kills by Alisha Watson, prompting a BU timeout. The Bears would not give up another point en route to a 25-20 second-set victory to tie up the match, 1-1.
Baylor took charge in the third set, leading 24-21. But, the Vaqueros saved three set points to send the set to extras. The Bears saved a pair of set points but could not close the set for the 28-26 third-set loss.
Staiger added nine kills in the fourth set, but BU couldn't get past UTRGV's .243 attack average to fall 25-21.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Baylor is now 6-4 in season openers at the Ferrell Center.
- Katie Staiger had a career-high 28 kills and added 15 digs for her third career double-double.
- Morgan Reed earned her first career double-double with a career-high 56 assists and 17 digs.
- The Bears are now 0-1 in the 2016 Hampton Inn Waco North Baylor Invitational.
STAT OF THE DAY
28 - the amount of kills by redshirt junior Katie Staiger, a new career-high.
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor plays its second match of the Hampton Inn Waco North Baylor Invitational against Prairie View A&M at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Bears close the tournament with a 7 p.m. match against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday night in Waco.
#SicEm
