No. 18 VB Sweeps Samford in First-Ever Program Meeting

Sunday, September 15

Waco, Texas

1PM

Baylor

7-2,0-0Big 12

Samford

5-2,0-0SoCon

Samford

Baylor

No. 18 VB Sweeps Samford in First-Ever Program Meeting

9/15/2024 3:25:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Bears finish Baylor Invitational 2-0

WACO, Texas – The 18th-ranked Baylor volleyball team faced the Samford Bulldogs for the first time in program history on Sunday afternoon to claim their 32nd all-time win in the Baylor Invitational and fifth sweep of the season.

The Bears (7-2) quickly dominated the court over Samford (5-2), winning the first set 25-13 and claiming the second 25-19 on Sophia Keene's first kill of the season. The third set sealed the sweep 25-12, McGhee paving the road to victory with three kills and the 50th service ace of her career.

Allie Sczech led the team with 10 kills, while Ava Grace Haggard and Harley Kreck each achieved their first service ace. The Bears held the Bulldogs to a .102 hitting percentage, opening Baylor and Samford's all-time series 1-0.

THE RUNDOWN
Set 1
The Bulldogs met the Bears aggressive and ready to put up a fight, but Elise McGhee quickly initiated Baylor's momentum with a kill to put them on the board. A battle of back-and-forth ensued, but three kills by Grace Carroll and two powerful blocks by McGhee and Alicia Andrew gave the Bears the go-ahead, 11-10. Samford was soon forced into their first timeout of the day, pressure piling on with a 9-0 Baylor scoring run. The green and gold never let up, going on another 4-0 scoring run with two kills by Allie Sczech and one by Manuela Bibinbe. After a service ace by Harley Kreck and yet another kill by Carroll, Baylor won the set 25-13.

Set 2
Baylor's momentum propelled into the second set, opening with dominating kills by Sczech, McGhee and Kendal Murphy. A service ace by AG Haggard, the first of her career, expanded the Bears' lead 6-3 and left Samford scrambling to find their footing. Kills by McGhee and Sczech preluded a 4-0 Samford run before Szech attacked once more, putting Baylor up 12-9 and pushing the Bulldogs into another timeout. The Bears then embarked on a 5-0 scoring run, led with a kill by Jackie Barrett Frazier and block by Haggard. Carroll's back-to-back fifth and sixth kills of the day edged Baylor ahead 19-12, and it wasn't long before dual kills by Sczech and Sophia Keene — her first of the season — sealed the win 25-19.

Set 3
Ready to claim their fifth sweep of the season, the Bears started strong with a fearsome kill by Frazier and the 50th service ace of McGhee's career. McGhee followed with back-to-back kills to extend Baylor's lead 9-4 before the green and gold embarked on a 4-0 scoring run, driving Samford into a timeout. The Bulldogs were met post-timeout with more of McGhee's prowess, including a kill and her third service ace of the day, as well as two kills by Murphy. A 4-0 scoring run led by Bibinbe and Keene led the Bears to set point before they secured the win 25-12.

HIGHLIGHTS
●      Sunday marked the first-ever meeting between the Bears and the Bulldogs in program history
●      Elise McGhee claimed her 50th service ace of her career
●      Sophia Keene achieved her first two kills of the season
●      AG Haggard and Harley Kreck each found their first career service ace
●      Allie Sczech led the team with 10 kills, and Lauren Briseño led with 17 digs

UP NEXT
The Bears return to the Ferrell Center on Wednesday night, facing old rival and sixth-ranked Texas at 8 p.m.

Fans interested in purchasing tickets can visit BaylorBears.com/Tickets. All seats are general admission for volleyball in the Ferrell Center.

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

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