The Bears (10-2) dispatched Sam Houston State in three sets (25-22, 25-11, 25-21) to extend their straight set winning streak to 22, including 18 at Ferrell.
Senior Medium Blocker Kara McGhee led the Bears with 13 eliminations and 8 blocks in the game with Sam Houston, while Lauren Briseno driven with 11 digs and setter Averi Carlson collected 31 assists.
Against McNeese, the Bears again limited him to three sets to win their eighth straight sweep and 25e consecutive set, 25-18, 25-18, 25-17.
BU was led by Allie Sczech and Riley Simpson against the Cowgirls, both with double-digit wins, with Carlson registering 36 assists, Briseño with 11 digs and Kara McGhee counting eight blocks.
Baylor is now on a nine-game winning streak overall and has extended its home streak to 12 straight, since Nov. 6, 2021 against Texas.
BU went 3-0 in the Baylor Classic to take the all-time home tournament record to 46-6.
For all three games, Kara McGhee had 32 kills at 3.56 kills per set for a .414 offense percentage, coupled with 20 blocks at 2.22 blocks per set to earn his tournament MVP honors. Briseño was named the tournament’s top defender for her 37 digs at 4.11 digs per set while Carlson was named All-Tournament for her 108 assists.
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
Sam Houston
Set 1
In a thrilling first set that never saw SHSU advance more than three, the Bears took care of business, 25-22, against the Bearcats. After Sam Houston took a late set lead, 20-18, a power block from the McGhee sisters, the tide turned in favor of Baylor. The Bears went on a 5-2 run closing the set with a kill from Elise McGhee.
Set 2
Kara McGhee kicked off the set for the Bears with a raucous kill, starting a 5-0 run for BU. McGhee then got his hands on four of 10 blocks for Baylor in the opening set. In an easy back and forth, the Bears won the set 25-11 with Lauren Briseno closing the set with an ace to give BU the 2-0 lead.
Set 3
In a neck and neck third set, the Bearcats took a late lead to move up 21-17. The Bears, who were never counted out, went 8-0; filled with two kills each of Kara McGhee and Cassie Davis in addition to two aces of Mallory Talbert take the set and the match.
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
McNeese
Set 1
Starting hot was Kara McGhee, registering a kill to start the match. The Bears found themselves just behind around the six-point mark, but once Riley Simpson got the kill to make it 8-7, BU no longer trailed. In this first frame alone, Mallory Talbert caught six kills from six attempts while Simpson had five from seven. Dominating at 19-12 with five different Baylor players recording wins, McNeese called timeout. It was too late for the Cowgirls to save the set, with the frame ending at 25-18 thanks to an ace from Carlson.
Set 2
Baylor never trailed in the second set, leading throughout. Just as she finished set one, she started set two: Averi Carlson served as an ace for the Bears. An attacking error from BU caught McNeese at 4-4, but no further. Elise McGhee pushed the Bears in front, then a kill from Talbert and a block from Carlson and Kara McGhee forced a Cowgirl timeout at 11-6. Off the break, Simpson and Kara had a block. Despite their best efforts, McNeese couldn’t overcome the brick wall the Bears were building at the net. They would call another timeout at 20-14 and the set would end in favor of Baylor on a Sophie Keene ace, 25-18.
Set 3
Up two, the third set saw Baylor comfortable behind Simpson. The freshman started the tee with a kill and recorded six kills out of 12 attempts in the frame. She also had three digs and an assist. The Bears were tied with the Cowgirls twice in the set, but not enough to hurt the momentum built up. Lauren Briseno served back-to-back aces early on at 8-3 and 9-3, then Talbert, Sczech and Elise McGhee each killed to propel the Bears to 12-3. Without looking back, BU charged forward and ended the set on an attacking error from McNeese, 25-17.
NOTABLE
- The Bears have won 25 straight sets. The last time BU won 20 or more straight sets was Nov 13, 2021-Dec. 9, 2021 (20).
- Baylor concluded the non-conference schedule, going 7-2 in non-conference tournaments this season.
- The head coach Ryan McGuyre is just one win away from his 500e career victory.
- First-year student Allie Sczech had his first double-digit kill match, recording 10 against McNeese.
All Tournament Team
MVP- Kara McGheeBaylor
Best Forward – Bailey Rowe, Tulsa
Best defender – Lauren BrisenoBaylor
All Tournaments – Averi CarlsonBaylor
All Tournaments – Mikayla Christiansen, McNeese
All Tournaments – Hannah Baker, Sam Houston
All Tournaments – Kayley Cassaday, Tulsa
To stay up to date all season long on all things Baylor Volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.
NEXT
The Bears begin the Big 12 Conference game on Wednesday, Sept. 21, when they host foe TCU at Ferrell Center for a 7 p.m. game that will air on ESPN+.
-BaylorBears.com-
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