– Baylor volleyball (6-4) knocked off the Little Rock Trojans (3-6) and the Florida A&M Rattlers (2-7), winning both matches in straight sets to close out the final day at the Home2 Suites Seminole Invitational.
Baylor 3, Florida A&M 0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-19)
BU rolled through the first set, forcing FAMU timeouts at 9-6 and 17-12, closing out a 25-18 first set win.
In the second frame, the two sides stayed square through much of the set, with the Bears using a late charge to pull ahead at 19-15.
The Bears cruised through the backend of the set, clinching the 2-0 match lead with a 25-18 win in the set.
To close the match, the Bears rebounded from an early 5-1 deficit, tying the match at 5-5 and fighting with the Rattlers late into the set.
It took another late surge to create the separation, with the Bears closing out the match with a 25-19 win in the third and final set.
Baylor 3, Little Rock 0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
The Bears opened the day with a strong outing against the Trojans, sweeping the match in straight sets.
BU pulled away late in the first set, pushing out to a 22-13 lead. Holding off a late push by the Trojans, the Bears picked up the set victory with a kill by Camryn Freiberg, taking a 1-0 match lead.
In the second set, the two sides stayed neck and neck through most of the frame, with LR taking late leads at 18-15 and 23-21.
With the Bears hanging on to try to save the set, a service error on LR and a Katie Staiger kill tied the match at 23-23.
An attack error on LR set up for Jana Brusek to notch an ace to finish the comeback and clinch the 2-0 lead for BU.
In the third set, after trailing at 8-7, the Bears rattled off a 5-0 run, taking a lead they would never relinquish, up 13-8.
LR was able to fight back within one a handful of times, but the Bears ran away with the match-clinching set on a Staiger kill, a block by Jaelyn Jackson and Aniah Philo, and an attack error by LR.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Katie Staiger and Morgan Reed were both named to the All-Tournament team. Joining the Bears on the tournament list were: Katie Horton, Florida State, Mara Green, Florida State, Melanie Keil, Florida State, Carolee Dillard, Little Rock, and Nicole Abreu, Florida A&M.
BU-FAMU
- Katie Staiger led the match with 16 kills, two aces, and two blocks.
- Jana Brusek led both sides with 27 digs.
- The Bears held FAMU to a .061 attack percentage in the match, including -.031 in the third set.
BU-LR
- Katie Staiger hit a jaw-dropping 22 kills and .452 attacking percentage on 42 swings with just three errors, adding two service aces to round out one of the strongest matches of her season.
- The Bears led in service aces (9-4), assists (40-28), kills (42-31), attack pct. (.220-.147), and digs (48-37).
- A .387 hitting mark in the first set was the highest of the match for either side, with BU posting 16 kills on 31 attacks with just four errors.
STAT OF THE DAY
6.0 – kills/set for Katie Staiger in the weekend’s tournament, leading the team and conference by a wide margin and gaining ground to take back the No. 1 spot in the country, currently sitting in second.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears travel to LSU to face the Tigers in Baton Rouge, La., on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 7:00 p.m.
