Saturday, October 6
Lawrence, Kan.
1:00 p.m. CT
Baylor
at
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Kansas
Preview: No. 23 VB Continues Big 12 Action at Kansas
10/4/2018 2:41:00 PM | Volleyball
Bears and Jayhawks split the regular season series last season
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Coming off a 3-1 victory at home over Oklahoma, the 23rd-ranked Baylor volleyball team (10-5, 2-2) will try to hand the Kansas Jayhawks (10-4, 3-0) their first conference loss in Saturday's 1 p.m. matchup at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan.
"Kansas is really good at home,' Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said. "They're really physical on the outside . . . they can elevate and bring the heat. Blocking-wise, you have to be really strong. And because they hit the ball so hard, you've got to hit your spots well, where others you might have time to adjust or react to balls."
Last year's split between the two teams was unique in that both road teams won in 3-0 sweeps. As part of winning 16 consecutive sets in an incredible run last season, Baylor defeated Kansas, 25-17, 25-21, 25-18, behind a 19-kill effort by Yossiana Pressley, snapping a nine-match losing streak against the Jayhawks.
"I think it still helps, because we know we can win on the road, we know we can win at home," McGuyre said. "With last year's team, it was the ones that had to overcome the past to be good in the future I think this group, we still have the ones that believe they can win every match. . . . Kansas, at home, will never give up. They're a good, quality, championship program, so they're not going to give it to you."
Swept by fourth-ranked Texas on Sept. 26, the Bears bounced back to defeat Oklahoma, 25-23, 25-15, 16-25, 25-17, last Friday. Pressley led a balanced attack with 18 kills, while Gia Milana and Shelly Fanning had 14 and 11, respectively.
"After not really having a spring training session because of surgery, and being introduced to a new position, it felt really good just to get in the flow with my team and being able to contribute the way I did," said Milana, who moved from outside hitter to the right side after transferring from Maryland.
McGuyre said it was Milana being healthier and "just being more acclimated."
"We were able to move the ball around really well," McGuyre said of the OU match. "I really loved what Gia did in that match on the right side. She hit at a high percentage. We were able to be effective because we were able to mix it up."
Kansas freshman middle blocker Rachel Langs is the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after coming up one block shy of the conference record with 14 blocks in a 3-2 win over West Virginia. Junior Zoe Hill ranks third in the league with 1.37 blocks per set, while the Jayhawks use a two-setter system with 6-3 left-hander Gabby Simpson and freshman Camryn Ennis.
"Gabby is a big, strong, physical left-hander," McGuyre said, "so she can swing, look like she's going to set and hit, or she can back up and (Ennis) comes in and sets her. We have to be ready for it, depending on which one is setting. It just gives them more looks. Putting it in football terms, I would say there's a lot of formations to prepare for."
Saturday's match will air live on ESPN Plus and the Watch ESPN app, with Leif Lisec and Jill Dorsey-Hall calling the action.
WACO, Texas – After a midweek bye, 23rd-ranked Baylor volleyball (10-5, 2-2 Big 12) travels to face Kansas (10-4, 3-0 Big 12) Saturday afternoon at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan.
The 1 p.m. CT matchup will air live on ESPN Plus and the Watch ESPN app with Leif Lisec and Jill Dorsey-Hall on the call.
A win would give Baylor back-to-back wins over Kansas for the first time since Oct. 1, 2011.
Baylor also looks for its second-straight win over the Jayhawks in Lawrence for the first time since the 1997-98 seasons.
BEARS RETURN TO BIG 12 ACTION IN LAWRENCE
• After a midweek bye, Baylor volleyball will return to action with a road contest against Kansas Saturday afternoon in Lawrence.
• Baylor looks for its second-straight overall and road win over the Jayhawks.
• The Bears are currently 2-2 in road matches this season, upending UTSA and Iowa State in five sets.
• A win would give BU back-to-back wins over Kansas for the first time since Oct. 1, 2011.
• A win would give BU back-to-back wins in Lawrence for the first time since the 1997-98 seasons.
• BU looks to avoid a two-match road losing streak for the first time since the 2015 season. Baylor dropped matches at No. 5 Texas and Iowa State at the end of the conference schedule.
• Last season, the Jayhawks swept BU in Waco, and then the Bears returned the favor with a sweep in Lawrence.
TEAM NOTABLES
• Baylor went 4-0 to start the season for the first time since 2012.
• Baylor is 1-3 against ranked opponents in 2018. Last season, BU went 4-4.
• BU has held 11 of 15 opponents under a .250 hitting percentage this season.
• Baylor is 8-1 after winning the first set in 2018.
• Baylor is 5-0 when hitting .300 or better in 2018.
• Baylor has never lost a match while leading 2-0 under McGuyre (47-0).
• Baylor is currently 10-5 as a ranked team in 2018 and is 19-8 as a ranked team under McGuyre.
LAST SEASON VS. KANSAS
• Baylor and Kansas split the regular season series a season ago with both teams winning in straight sets on the road.
• Baylor snapped a nine-match losing streak to the Jayhawks with its road win on Nov. 11, 2017.
• The Bears' 3-0 win over the then-No. 11 Jayhawks was the fourth ranked win of the season.
LAST TIME VS. THE JAYHAWKS IN LAWRENCE (Nov. 11, 2017)
• No. 23 Baylor volleyball earned its fifth consecutive win with a 3-0 sweep over the 11th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan., 25-17, 25-21, 25-18.
• Now the winner of 15 consecutive sets, Baylor earned its first victory over the Jayhawks since Nov. 3, 2012 and first on the road since Nov. 17, 2010. The Bears' win marked the first over Kansas under third-year head coach Ryan McGuyre.
• Reigning AVCA National Player of the Week Yossiana Pressley led the way with 19 kills on a .410 attack effort, followed by Shelly Fanning with 12 and Aniah Philo with 10.
• Fanning matched a career-high eight blocks against the Jayhawks, allowing Baylor to finish with 10.0.
• Baylor took sole possession of second place with the 3-0 win over Kansas.
Baylor Bear Insider
Coming off a 3-1 victory at home over Oklahoma, the 23rd-ranked Baylor volleyball team (10-5, 2-2) will try to hand the Kansas Jayhawks (10-4, 3-0) their first conference loss in Saturday's 1 p.m. matchup at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan.
"Kansas is really good at home,' Baylor coach Ryan McGuyre said. "They're really physical on the outside . . . they can elevate and bring the heat. Blocking-wise, you have to be really strong. And because they hit the ball so hard, you've got to hit your spots well, where others you might have time to adjust or react to balls."
Last year's split between the two teams was unique in that both road teams won in 3-0 sweeps. As part of winning 16 consecutive sets in an incredible run last season, Baylor defeated Kansas, 25-17, 25-21, 25-18, behind a 19-kill effort by Yossiana Pressley, snapping a nine-match losing streak against the Jayhawks.
"I think it still helps, because we know we can win on the road, we know we can win at home," McGuyre said. "With last year's team, it was the ones that had to overcome the past to be good in the future I think this group, we still have the ones that believe they can win every match. . . . Kansas, at home, will never give up. They're a good, quality, championship program, so they're not going to give it to you."
Swept by fourth-ranked Texas on Sept. 26, the Bears bounced back to defeat Oklahoma, 25-23, 25-15, 16-25, 25-17, last Friday. Pressley led a balanced attack with 18 kills, while Gia Milana and Shelly Fanning had 14 and 11, respectively.
"After not really having a spring training session because of surgery, and being introduced to a new position, it felt really good just to get in the flow with my team and being able to contribute the way I did," said Milana, who moved from outside hitter to the right side after transferring from Maryland.
McGuyre said it was Milana being healthier and "just being more acclimated."
"We were able to move the ball around really well," McGuyre said of the OU match. "I really loved what Gia did in that match on the right side. She hit at a high percentage. We were able to be effective because we were able to mix it up."
Kansas freshman middle blocker Rachel Langs is the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after coming up one block shy of the conference record with 14 blocks in a 3-2 win over West Virginia. Junior Zoe Hill ranks third in the league with 1.37 blocks per set, while the Jayhawks use a two-setter system with 6-3 left-hander Gabby Simpson and freshman Camryn Ennis.
"Gabby is a big, strong, physical left-hander," McGuyre said, "so she can swing, look like she's going to set and hit, or she can back up and (Ennis) comes in and sets her. We have to be ready for it, depending on which one is setting. It just gives them more looks. Putting it in football terms, I would say there's a lot of formations to prepare for."
Saturday's match will air live on ESPN Plus and the Watch ESPN app, with Leif Lisec and Jill Dorsey-Hall calling the action.
WACO, Texas – After a midweek bye, 23rd-ranked Baylor volleyball (10-5, 2-2 Big 12) travels to face Kansas (10-4, 3-0 Big 12) Saturday afternoon at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan.
The 1 p.m. CT matchup will air live on ESPN Plus and the Watch ESPN app with Leif Lisec and Jill Dorsey-Hall on the call.
A win would give Baylor back-to-back wins over Kansas for the first time since Oct. 1, 2011.
Baylor also looks for its second-straight win over the Jayhawks in Lawrence for the first time since the 1997-98 seasons.
BEARS RETURN TO BIG 12 ACTION IN LAWRENCE
• After a midweek bye, Baylor volleyball will return to action with a road contest against Kansas Saturday afternoon in Lawrence.
• Baylor looks for its second-straight overall and road win over the Jayhawks.
• The Bears are currently 2-2 in road matches this season, upending UTSA and Iowa State in five sets.
• A win would give BU back-to-back wins over Kansas for the first time since Oct. 1, 2011.
• A win would give BU back-to-back wins in Lawrence for the first time since the 1997-98 seasons.
• BU looks to avoid a two-match road losing streak for the first time since the 2015 season. Baylor dropped matches at No. 5 Texas and Iowa State at the end of the conference schedule.
• Last season, the Jayhawks swept BU in Waco, and then the Bears returned the favor with a sweep in Lawrence.
TEAM NOTABLES
• Baylor went 4-0 to start the season for the first time since 2012.
• Baylor is 1-3 against ranked opponents in 2018. Last season, BU went 4-4.
• BU has held 11 of 15 opponents under a .250 hitting percentage this season.
• Baylor is 8-1 after winning the first set in 2018.
• Baylor is 5-0 when hitting .300 or better in 2018.
• Baylor has never lost a match while leading 2-0 under McGuyre (47-0).
• Baylor is currently 10-5 as a ranked team in 2018 and is 19-8 as a ranked team under McGuyre.
LAST SEASON VS. KANSAS
• Baylor and Kansas split the regular season series a season ago with both teams winning in straight sets on the road.
• Baylor snapped a nine-match losing streak to the Jayhawks with its road win on Nov. 11, 2017.
• The Bears' 3-0 win over the then-No. 11 Jayhawks was the fourth ranked win of the season.
LAST TIME VS. THE JAYHAWKS IN LAWRENCE (Nov. 11, 2017)
• No. 23 Baylor volleyball earned its fifth consecutive win with a 3-0 sweep over the 11th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Horejsi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence, Kan., 25-17, 25-21, 25-18.
• Now the winner of 15 consecutive sets, Baylor earned its first victory over the Jayhawks since Nov. 3, 2012 and first on the road since Nov. 17, 2010. The Bears' win marked the first over Kansas under third-year head coach Ryan McGuyre.
• Reigning AVCA National Player of the Week Yossiana Pressley led the way with 19 kills on a .410 attack effort, followed by Shelly Fanning with 12 and Aniah Philo with 10.
• Fanning matched a career-high eight blocks against the Jayhawks, allowing Baylor to finish with 10.0.
• Baylor took sole possession of second place with the 3-0 win over Kansas.
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Players Mentioned
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