No. 16 Volleyball Overpowers LSU in Season Opener

WACO, Texas – 16th-ranked Baylor volleyball captured a four-set victory over LSU in front of a record-breaking crowd Friday night at the Ferrell Center, winning 25-19, 13-25, 25-15, 25-21.

Breaking a record that only lasted 364 days, the team drew 3,858 fans and shattered the previous No. 1 at 3,617 against No. 15 Florida State last season.

Offensively, redshirt junior Shelly Fanning posted the fourth-best single-match hitting percentage in program history, hitting .682 with 15 kills on 22 attacks with no errors.

In set one, Baylor climbed out of an early 4-1 hole and used five kills each from Yossiana Pressley and Gia Milana to cement a 25-19 win.

Baylor couldn’t find its offensive rhythm in set two and allowed a 9-0 run to create ultimate separation. The Bears hit -.217 as they dropped the frame, 25-13.

BU forced an early LSU timeout after Fanning put the Bears on top, 7-2. BU went on a late 4-0 run with Hannah Fluegel at the line and cruised to the 25-15 set win.

Set four went back and forth, but the Bears created a cushion after a Braya Hunt service ace gave BU a 21-15 lead. Yossiana Pressley closed out the match with her 14th kill of the night, helping BU get the 3-1 win.

HIGHLIGHTS
• The program’s all-time attendance record fell Friday night with 3,858 fans at the Ferrell Center.
• Redshirt junior Shelly Fanning’s .682 hitting efficiency (15 kills, 22 attempts) is the fourth-best single-match percentage in program history.
• Sophomore Yossiana Pressley opened her sophomore campaign with a 14-kill performance against LSU.
• Junior Braya Hunt posted 20 assists and a match-high 12 digs for her first career double-double.
• Baylor is now 21-20 all-time in season openers and now 1-3 in season openers under McGuyre.
• Head coach Ryan McGuyre moved his all-time coaching victory mark to 399, one away from 400 career wins.
• Baylor is now 3-0 against LSU under McGuyre.

STAT OF THE MATCH
.682 – the hitting percentage by Shelly Fanning on the night.

TOP QUOTE #1
“The wheels almost came off the wagon in that second set. Our grit is strong. The girls’ characters are great and strong. We know we have endurance. We’ve done five sets at Denver, five sets for the Green & Gold. And Coach (Eric) Rash does a good job. So, we’re fit. So, it’s just a matter of maintaining and being consistent and staying dialed-in from start to finish. But, the crowd tonight was awesome. It’s fun to play in that kind of atmosphere. I thought they put a little pressure on LSU, too, and that probably tipped the scales. We really didn’t miss many serves until that final set. And that’s probably what kept it close. But, sets three and four as we pulled away, LSU had some hiccups from the service line.” –head coach Ryan McGuyre

TOP QUOTE #2
“Students make the difference in terms of energy. They came out in full force tonight, and it was just a lot of fun. That’s the best volleyball crowd that I’ve been part of. Our team, and what Coach McGuyre has done with it, they’re deserving to play in front of a crowd like that. Just a lot of fun. It’s a great way to start the season. The students, the band were awesome. It was fun being here tonight.” --Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades

WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears continue tournament play with two matchups on Saturday. First, BU faces Texas State at 10:30 a.m. CT and then will close out the Hampton Inn & Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational with a 7 p.m. CT matchup against Marquette. Both matches will be on Baylor All-Access.