No. 12 Volleyball Drops Five-Set Decision to No. 10 UCLA
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – 12th-ranked Baylor volleyball (4-1) went toe-to-toe and saved four match points against 10th-ranked UCLA but ultimately fell in five sets to open the USD Invitational Friday afternoon, 25-21, 15-25, 11-25, 25-21, 18-16.
Sophomore Yossiana Pressley led all players with 23 kills while Shelly Fanning (18) and Gia Milana (12) chipped in double digits as well. Five players finished with double-digit digs, including a career-high 29 by junior Tara Wulf.
Pressley (23 kills, 10 digs) and sophomore Hannah Lockin (57 assists, career-high 19 digs) finished with double-doubles in the match.
Baylor and UCLA (3-0) went back and forth to open the match and were tied at 21-21 before the Bruins went on a 4-0 to close out the set.
One set later, the Bears were in control from start to finish and closed it out on a 9-3 run to even up the match, 1-1.
BU continued to roll in set three and used five kills each from Fanning, Milana and Pressley along with two service aces from sophomore Taylor Marburger for the 25-15 win and 2-1 match advantage.
Baylor struggled to get things going in set four and hit .091 for UCLA to force a fifth set. In set five, the Bruins had match point at 14-11, but BU fought off three points to tie it up at 14-all. BU would go up 16-15 after a Lockin kill, but three straight points for the Bruins ended it at 18-16.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Sophomore Yossiana Pressley paced all players with 23 kills on a career-high 73 attacks.
• Five Bears collected double-digit digs while three had double-digit kills.
• Sophomore Taylor Marburger came off the bench and posted a match-high five service aces.
• Sophomore Hannah Lockin led all players with 57 assists.
• Baylor is now 1-4 all-time against UCLA and 0-2 under McGuyre.
• Baylor is 13-4 as a ranked team under McGuyre.
STAT OF THE MATCH
5 – the new career-high service ace count for sophomore Taylor Marburger.
TOP QUOTE
Baylor Head Coach Ryan McGuyre
On fighting until the end…
“I was disappointed in our execution the first set and felt we let some opportunities get away from us. Heading into the fourth set, it just became a battle and could have gone either way the rest of the way. There are parts of our game that will significantly improve as we continue to play together. Our entire team is committed to improving each day, and we know that even when we are down like we were in the fifth set, we have what it takes to pull through. One block, one dig, one hit, one call can impact the outcome of the match. Fighting for each point gives you an opportunity. Today we gave ourselves an opportunity. Cleaner execution will finish it off.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears (4-1) head continues competition at the USD Invitational with a Saturday night match against 19th-ranked and host San Diego (0-2) at 9 p.m. CT at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Live video and audio stream links are available on the team’s schedule page for Saturday’s match.