Baylor volleyball (17-6, 5-2 Big 12) dominated the final two frames, clinching a five-set road win over the Iowa State Cyclones (10-9, 2-5 Big 12), 19-25, 25-19, 26-28, 25-15, 15-6, on Wednesday evening at Hilton Coliseum.
The win for BU was the team’s fifth conference win, matching last season’s year-end Big 12 win total. The Bears also notched the first victory for the program in Ames since Oct. 29, 2005.
In the first frame, the Bears started strong, but the Cyclones caught fire late, finishing the set with a .368 hitting mark to take the first, 25-19.
In the second, the Bears rebounded to hold the Cyclones to a .061 hitting mark, using 12 kills in the set to take the frame, 25-19.
In the third set, the Bears took a late run, leading 24-20 to set up the set point. A 4-0 run by the Cyclones held off the BU push, with the Cyclones closing out the set on a 3-0 run, denying six set points for the Bears to take the third, 28-26.
In the crucial fourth, it was all Baylor, with BU holding the Cyclones to just a -.024 hitting mark, taking the big 25-15 set win.
Headed to the fifth set, BU came out firing, picking up the early 3-0 lead off of back-to-back aces from Aniah Philo.
After having its lead cut to two at 8-6, the Bears closed out the set and match on a 7-0 run, with two blocks from Camryn Freiberg and Philo, two kills from Katie Staiger, a kill from Freiberg, and closing the match on an ace from Staiger.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Katie Staiger posted a match-high 27 kills, adding 15 digs to tie for a Big 12-best 11 double-doubles this season.
• Morgan Reed dropped a match-high 40 assists, posting 12 digs for a double-double.
• BU outblocked the Cyclones, 14-9, led by Camryn Freiberg with a season-high 9.0 blocks.
• Baylor improved to 6-2 under Coach McGuyre in five set matches, including a 2-1 mark this season.
• Aniah Philo had a big night for BU, posting season-highs in digs (19) and blocks (6).
QUOTE OF THE MATCH
“God is good. Deeply proud of our resiliency. Multiple times things didn’t go our way and we fought back. We weren’t in rhythm in the first set so we had to fight in the second to find it. Lost a disappointing third to go down 2-1 on the road. Nothing came easy until the fifth. Our blocking showed up and our defense carried us through at the end.” –Baylor head coach Ryan McGuyre
STAT OF THE DAY
-.052 – the hitting percentage for ISU in the last two sets, with BU outscoring the Cyclones, 40-21 over the final two frames.
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor returns to the Ferrell Center to host the Oklahoma Sooners at 2 p.m. in the Ferrell Center.
