Match Results
- #24 Baylor def. LSU 3-1, (25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 26-24)
- Waco, Texas
- Ferrell Center
- Attendance: 602
- Match Stats
In a Big 12/SEC showdown, Baylor topped LSU in an up and down four set match behind a Katie Staiger double-double.
The first set was all Baylor as they jumped out to an early 8-4 lead before rolling away with the first, not letting the Tigers any closer. The Bears took the first set 25-17. The second set was a different story, as the Bears struggled to continue the rhythm they had in the first. The second had nine ties and four lead changes throughout, Baylor fought back from three set points down but were unable to finish, dropping the second 23-25.
In the third set, the Bears and Tigers clashed hard early with nine ties before strong service runs from Jana Brusek and Yossiana Pressley helped Baylor to a 25-14 third set win and the 2-1 match advantage. LSU led most of the fourth set at 11-6 and 17-12 before the Bears bounced back to tie things up at 22 all. Staiger flew in from the back row for a kill to end the match at 26-24.
One stat that the Tigers had over the Bears was in blocking as LSU posted 14-5 in blocks.
Staiger posted a double-double of 15 kills and 13 digs in the match, which is her seventh of the season. In addition, the 15 kills helped Staiger to improve to fourth overall in Baylor volleyball history in kills, as she passed by two former players on the list, now having 1,512 kills. Aniah Philo picked up a career-best in digs with 21, making it the second match in a row that she has posted a new career-best. Shelly Fanning also made a contribution on offense with 12 kills and four blocks.
LSU was led by Taylor Bannister with 12 kills and five blocks while Gina Tillis added another 10 kills and 12 digs for a double-double. Jacqui Armer put down eight blocks in the match and Raigen Cianciulli picked up 17 digs on defense.
Press Release
Courtesy of Baylor Athletics
Down 17-12 in the fourth set, Baylor volleyball (7-3) stormed back and secured a four-set win over LSU Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center, 25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 26-24.
Although the Tigers (8-2) outblocked the Bears 14.0-5.0, senior Katie Staiger’s seventh double-double of the season (15 kills, 13 digs) propelled the Bears to their second-straight victory over LSU. Her 15 kills moved her into fourth all-time in career kills at Baylor (1,512), passing Tisha Schwartz and Heather Williams on the list.
For the second-straight match, junior Aniah Philo set a career-high in digs, notching 21 vs. the Tigers along with senior Jana Brusek.
The Bears jumped out to an early 8-4 lead and never let the Tigers get any closer than two points to take the early 1-0 advantage.
BU struggled to find some rhythm as the second set had nine ties and four lead changes. Baylor erased three set points but dropped the set on an attack error, 25-23.
Baylor and LSU wrestled in the third set, tying it nine times again. BU then went on a service run led by Jana Brusek and Yossiana Pressley to earn the 11-point victory.
Up 2-1, the Bears fell down 11-6 and 17-12 before BU fired back to tie it at 22-22 with a block from Hannah Lockin and Shelly Fanning. The Bears ended the match with a back row kill from Staiger.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Katie Staiger passed Tisha Schwartz (2000-03, 1,501 kills) and Heather Williams (1989-92, 1,506 kills) for the fourth-most kills in program history. She currently has 1,512 after compiling 15 against the Tigers.
• Staiger secured her seventh double-double of the season and 27th of her career against LSU (15 kills, 13 digs).
• Aniah Philo had a career-high 21 digs. It is the second-straight match she set a new career high in the back row.
• Baylor secured its second win of the season after trailing in blocks (14.0-5.0).
• Baylor is 4-0 when limiting its opponent below a .100 hitting efficiency. LSU hit .096.
STAT OF THE MATCH
1,512 – the amount of kills by Katie Staiger to move into fourth all-time in career kills at Baylor.
TOP QUOTE #1
“We’ve got to be better to be honest. We played like we had some jet lag out there at times. Not crisp. We got to get our pins hitting at a much higher, effective rate. Too many missed connections tonight. LSU is a really, really good team, and I thought we did an okay job defensively digging them. We’ve got to be a lot better lining our block up and slowing them down at the net, but I thought we limited them and what they were doing offensively, but other than Shelly, offensively we were a little anemic.” -head coach Ryan McGuyre
TOP QUOTE #2
“We’re going to play hard, and I think we still got to all be on the same page of what hard looks like. Hard starts with effort, but intensity is focused energy at the task at hand. They started playing with some energy and then we got to get them tactically focused on what they can do a little bit better, and then hopefully get to that point where you’re doing some things that are pretty dynamic, but we never hit that stage of the flow for us tonight, maybe in the end. I thought Jana did a good job passing and kind of holding that down, so even though we were playing ugly, she did a good job distributing tonight.” -head coach Ryan McGuyre
WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears host Texas State as part of the Jason’s Deli Baylor Classic Friday night at 6 p.m. at the Ferrell Center. BU will face St. John’s and UTSA on Saturday.
Press Release
Courtesy of LSU Athletics
The LSU volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Baylor on Wednesday evening at the Ferrell Center by scores of 17-25, 25-23, 14-25 and 24-26. The Tigers are now 8-2 on the year, while Baylor improves to 7-3.
Flory’s Final Thoughts
“I thought we had opportunities but unfortunately we just couldn’t come through when we needed it. We played to the scoreboard rather than just executing. Hopefully we learned a lesson tonight. We let a really good opportunity get away from us. There were some really good chances for some people to come through. We were really high error and our offense cost us. We did some good things; we played good defense and blocked well. It wasn’t a fact of not fighting, it was a fact of not executing. We are super close and we just have to trust the process.”
The Recap
Set 1
The match started off tight as the two teams traded points. Baylor pushed to a 12-7 lead, but the Tigers fought their way back to come within three, 15-12 at the media timeout. The Tigers came within one after a Baylor attacking error but Baylor took an 18-15. LSU took a timeout but Baylor came out of the timeout with two straight points for a 20-15 lead. LSU only scored two points the rest of the way, giving Baylor the first set. LSU hit .171 for the set to Baylor’s .326.
Set 2
A Taylor Bannister kill and Jacqui Armer/Toni Rodriguez block started off the second set for a LSU 2-0 lead. That lead was pushed to 4-1 after an Armer kill and an attacking error by the Bears, forcing Baylor to a timeout. Baylor went on a 7-1 run, but the Tigers brought it back within one and went on a 4-0 run to take an 11-9 lead. The game was tied up three more times at 14-14, 17-17 and 19-19 before Sydney Mukes gave LSU a 21-19 lead. The Tigers ended the set on a 7-4 run to claim the second set win and tie the match up 1-1.
Set 3
In the third set, the Tigers hit -.128. They only had six kills on 39 attacks with 11 errors. LSU had a 4-3 lead after an ace from Raigen Cianciulli but the next points were traded back and forth between the teams to tie it up at 9-9. Baylor went on a couple runs, including a 6-0 run to take a 19-12 lead and a 12-2 run to end the set and a take a 2-1 lead.
Set 4
LSU opened up the fourth set on a 6-0 run to take a 8-4 lead and force Baylor to a timeout. The Tigers pushed their lead to 13-9 after a Toni Rodriguez kill. They took their largest lead of 15-10 but Baylor fought back and put together a string of five straight points to tie it up 17-17. The rest of the set went point-for-point. LSU took a 23-22 lead after a Bannister kill but Baylor went on a 4-1 run to take the match.
Game Notes
Taylor Bannister led the Tigers with 12 kills on the night, her fourth straight match with 10-plus kills.
Gina Tillis registered 10 kills and 12 digs for her fifth double-double on the year and her 21st in her career.
Lindsay Flory and Anna Zwiebel finished with 18 assists each, while Raigen Cianciulli put together 17 digs.
The Tigers out-blocked the Bears 14.0-5.0, the second most blocks for the Tigers this season.
What’s Next?
LSU is finally returning to Baton Rouge after 10 games on the road for its home opener on Saturday. The Tigers will face Houston in the Maravich Center at 1 p.m.
Volleyball Social Center
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger volleyball, visit www.lsusports.net/volleyball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsuvolleyball along with @lsuvolleyball and @lsucoachfran on Twitter and @lsuvolleyball on Instagram.
Leave a Reply