Baylor couldn’t overcome Kansas on the road this past Saturday, but some of it can be explained as star outside hitter and team kills leader Yossiana Pressley did not appear in the match.
The reasoning was unknown, though it did not appear as if Pressley was on the sideline for the match in Lawrence. Baylor head coach Ryan McGuyre seemingly addressed the change in postgame, although he also could be referring to the libero change that saw Shanel Bramschreiber start in place of Tara Wulf – who still did play.
“I thought we adjusted quickly to having to make a last-minute lineup change,” McGuyre said. “It was good that we were able to battle and get the first set. We definitely needed to close out the third set.”
Pressley has been a work horse for Baylor this season, taking 787 attempts so far – she took 944 in total last year. On the year she has recorded 313 kills (5.13 per set) on a .248 hitting percentage, 128 digs (2.10 per set), 38 blocks (0.62 per set) and 7 aces.
Missing her against Kansas though, the Bears hit just .153 for the match. Gia Milana (17 kills) and Aniah Philo (13 kills) picked up some slack, but also combined for 23 attack errors. In Baylor’s win in Lawrence in 2017, Pressley contributed 19 kills on a .410 clip and 8 digs.
A 6’0″ sophomore pin from Cypress Falls High School, Pressley was Preseason All-Big 12 in 2018 after earning AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors as a freshman in 2017.
Baylor, who is ranked 24th in the latest VolleyMob Top 25 Power Rankings, is 10-6 overall and 2-3 in the Big 12. They’ll continue their season this Wednesday at home against TCU before traveling to Morgantown for a tilt with West Virginia on Saturday.
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