Box Score Oct. 7, 2017 Box Score
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation After sweeping 20th-ranked Iowa State on the road, Baylor volleyball coach Ryan McGuyre wanted to see if his team could carry that momentum over to Saturday's home match against West Virginia.
The answer is a loud and resounding, "Yes!"
Led by nine kills apiece from Aniah Philo and freshman Yossiana Pressley, the Bears (15-4, 5-1) completely throttled the visiting West Virginia Mountaineers, 25-20, 25-18, 25-12, in their second straight sweep and ninth consecutive win at home.
"We learned a lot from (the Texas match)," McGuyre said of the 3-0 loss to the Longhorns on Sept. 27, "but we want to come out of each match learning the same way. I think that's what the difference has been. It was a good sweep at TCU, a good sweep at Iowa State, but we've got to find a way to learn from it and not just pat ourselves on the back."
Sophomore middle blocker Shelly Fanning had a solid all-around game, finishing with six kills, seven blocks and three of the Bears' season-high nine service aces.
"I didn't have that great of a serving night," Fanning said, "but it just shows that as long as you keep the pressure on them, they're going to make mistakes. As long as I keep it in, it gives us an opportunity to score."
Baylor and West Virginia (12-6, 1-4) went blow-for-blow in the first set with four lead changes and 10 ties before the Bears took control with a 6-1 run that included a Katie Staiger ace and kills by Staiger and Camry Freiberg.
Staiger closed out the first set with a kill off a set from freshman setter Hannah Lockin, who had 32 assists, four blocks and a pair of digs.
"We're good, because we have a brilliant setter that's learning that we'll take what the defense gives us, versus it always having to be our best versus their best," McGuyre said.
Baylor dominated the second set, holding West Virginia to a minus-.138 attack percentage on six kills and 10 attack errors in 29 swings. Pressley had four of her nine kills in the set, which the Bears closed out, 25-18, on Natana Levak's attack error.
The Mountaineers managed just four kills in a third set controlled by Baylor from start to finish, 25-12. Fanning closed out the set and match with a powerful kill.
"I think it's awesome that we have so many threats across the net," Fanning said. "That opens it up for everybody."
Baylor hit .207 for the match (36 kills, 17 errors, 92 attempts), while holding West Virginia to minus-.011 (21-22-88). Staiger added eight kills, two digs and an ace, while Pressley had three blocks and two aces to go with her match-high-tying nine kills.
"We knew we had to come in hot and get stuff done, because they're a really good team," Pressley said. "They went five (sets) with Texas, and we know what they're capable of. So, we knew we just needed to execute and get the game going."
After a midweek bye, the Bears go back on the road to face Kansas State (9-9, 2-3) at 7 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 14, in Manhattan.
THE RUNDOWN WACO, Texas -- Baylor volleyball (15-4, 5-1 Big 12) dominated the serving game as the Bears recorded a season-high nine aces in a sweep of West Virginia (13-6, 1-4) Saturday at the Ferrell Center, 25-20, 25-18, 25-12.
Baylor swept West Virginia for the second-straight meeting and are now 5-0 against the Mountaineers under head coach Ryan McGuyre. The Bears have only dropped one set in the last five meetings to WVU.
Redshirt sophomore Shelly Fanning's six kills pushed her past 500 career kills in the match, capturing the 500-mark in the second set. She led at the net with seven blocks and allowed Baylor to outblock the Mountaineers, 9.0-8.0.
Aniah Philo and Yossiana Pressley led all players with nine kills each, each of them hitting above .250 in the sweep. Senior Jana Brusek led all players with 14 digs in the back row, and freshman Hannah Lockin recorded 32 assists in the match.
Baylor and West Virginia traded point after point to open the match, and BU was forced to call an early timeout after a WVU service ace to trail 14-12. A Lockin and Fanning block fueled a 5-1 run and put Baylor in front for good, winning the opening frame 25-20.
BU and West Virginia opened the second set with a 2-2 tie, but Baylor would pull in front after holding the Mountaineers to a -.138 hitting effort on six kills and 10 attack errors. Pressley's four kills in the set helped BU gain the 2-0 advantage, 25-18.
The Bears compiled an 8-5 lead after three consecutive kills from Philo, prompting a West Virginia timeout. BU ended the match on a 7-2 run as Fanning tapped down the final point, 25-12.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Shelly Fanning recorded her 500th career kill at Baylor, finishing with six kills to bring her career total to 503.
- Baylor had nine service aces in the match, good for a new season high.
- The Bears held West Virginia to a -.011 hitting effort in three sets, .263 worse than the Mountaineer's season average (.252). It was BU's seven opponent hitting under .100 against the Bears this season.
- Aniah Philo and Yossiana Pressley led all players with nine kills each.
- Baylor leads the all-time series, 11-3, and is 5-0 against WVU under McGuyre.
- The Bears have now won nine-straight home matches, matching last year's home win streak.
- BU's 15-4 start through 19 matches is the best season mark since 2009. The 2009 squad was 17-2 through the first 19 matches.
STAT OF THE MATCH
503 -- the career kill total by redshirt sophomore Shelly Fanning in 72 career matches.
TOP QUOTE
"We're committed to being one degree better with (Hannah Lockin) who just played so good at Iowa State and again tonight. We're siding out at a very high level. It reminds me of the old days when I was coaching guys. As long as we're up, we're going to win because we can just keep siding out. Yossi (Pressley) is getting better and better, and Hannah's getting better and better. Then we have such great maturity in our seniors, and Camryn (Freiberg) is really is doing little things that aren't showing up on the papers. She's handling overpasses well, winning jousts...Her commitment to being better is important. Katie (Staiger) is doing some great things for us blocking. Another slow night for her offensively, but she's still committed. It's fun. Our girls are committed to getting better. We learn a lot from (the Texas match), but we want to come out of each match learning the same. I think that's what the difference has been. It was a good sweep at TCU, a good sweep at Iowa State, but we've got to find a way to learn from it and not just pat ourselves on the back." -head coach Ryan McGuyre
WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears receive a midweek bye before traveling to Manhattan, Kan. to face Kansas State Saturday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. CT.
