· Baylor box score
· Central Florida box score
Sophomore Amber Brooks, who collected 37 digs this weekend, was the lone Roadrunner named to the All-Tournament Team. |
WACO — UTSA was swept by Baylor by scores of 25-18, 25-18 and 25-16 in its first match of action on Saturday and it then lost a four-setter to Central Florida (25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 28-26) to conclude play at this weekend's Holiday Inn & Suites Baylor Classic.
The first match of the day saw the the Roadrunners (2-4) take an early 3-1 lead in the opening set, but the Lady Bears (6-0) reeled off a 10-4 run to take the lead for good. Baylor later scored six points in a row to put the frame out of reach. The Birds jumped out to another early advantage in the following stanza stanza, but Baylor once again responded with another big run, this time to the tune of 11-3, and it went on to hit .520 in the set for another seven-point triumph. It was all Lady Bears in the final frame, as they led from start to finish to complete the sweep.
Katie Sanders led Baylor with a match-best 11 kills, while Ashlie Christenson recorded a .474 hitting percentage on the strength of 10 winners. Libero Allison King controlled the back row in posting a match-high 22 digs.
Setter Amber Brooks had a career-high 19 digs to go along with 16 assists to lead the Roadrunners.
The Lady Bears won their 12th match in a row against UTSA and now hold a 15-4 lead in the all-time series that dates back to 1983.
In the nightcap, the two clubs split the first two sets before waging a fierce battle that eventually was won by the Knights (6-2) in four competitive sets.
Trailing 17-15 in the latter half of the third stanza, UCF scored 10 of the final 14 points to take a 2-1 advantage. The Birds appeared to be in control of the next frame, as they led 21-19. However, the Knights drew even at 22 and went on to stave off a set point at 24-23. They served for the match two points later, but UTSA (2-5) responded with back-to-back tallies for another chance to send the contest to a fifth-and-decided frame. However, Central Florida closed things out with three consecutive points, which sent the Roadrunners to their fifth loss in their last half dozen tilts.
Erin Campbell was a force at the net for UCF, as she recorded a match-high 14 kills to go along with five total blocks (2/3). The Knights finished with 15 blocks as a team, receiving a match-best eight (1/7) from Sara Rex and a half dozen (1/5) from Evija Vilde.
Outside hitter Andee Josserand led UTSA with a career-best 12 kills, while middle hitter Briana Mason and outside hitter Kendra Rowland chipped in with 11.
Defensively, libero Kelsey Jewasko led five players in double figures with 16 digs. Rowland added 14 for her fifth double-double of the season and Brooks racked up 13 en route to All-Tournament Team honors.
UTSA returns home on Tuesday night to host Cal State Bakersfield (3-3). First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m.