WACO, Texas -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team battled No. 18 Baylor Wednesday night, taking the third set from the Bears before falling in four sets at the Ferrell Center.
SET ONE: Baylor had the early momentum in the first set, going on a 4-0 run to take a 5-1 lead. The Bears continued to build their advantage with another 4-0 run for a 9-3 lead. The Cardinals capitalized on Baylor's attack and service errors to stay within reach, but the Bears responded with their largest run of the set, a 5-0 stretch that extended their lead to 14-6. Baylor continued to pull away, closing the set on a 5-0 run to take the opening set, 25-10.
SET TWO: Kitana Tu'ufuli began to create some offensive rhythm for the Cardinals, keeping the game close early. The Cardinals were able to take their first lead of the match following a Baylor attack error, making it 4-3. A block assist from Sofia Grimm and Gabby Fish extended the Cardinals' lead to 6-4. Baylor reclaimed the advantage with a 3-0 run before another run from the Bears put UIW down 12-8. The Cardinals grabbed two points out of the break, but Baylor continued to pull away with a 5-0 run. UIW responded with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to four, but the Bears held on to take the second set, 25-18.
SET THREE: Kills from Calissa Allison and Grimm got the Cardinals off to a hot start. Baylor kept it close as UIW found their offensive groove, with Allison continuing to contribute as both a setter and hitter. The Cardinals took a 12-10 lead behind a 4-0 run before Baylor claimed a narrow advantage heading into the media timeout. UIW regained momentum with a 3-0 run to take a 17-15 lead, but the Bears quickly cut the deficit to one. The Cardinals responded with another 3-0 run to close out the set and steal the third frame, 25-23.
SET FOUR: Baylor jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the fourth set. The Cardinals were able to work it back even at 5. The two teams continued to trade points before Baylor took a 15-11 advantage into the media timeout. Baylor came out of the break with all the momentum, going on a 6-0 run to lead 19-11. The Cardinals stayed in the fight, answering Baylor's runs with stretches of their own, but the deficit proved too much to overcome. The Bears took the fourth set, 25-19, to win the match, 3-1.
Notables:
-
Allison was just one dig shy of her fifth consecutive double-double, recording 21 assists and nine digs on the night.
-
Teddy-Raye Ewers set career highs with eight kills and 13 digs, finishing just two kills short of her first career double-double.
-
Tu'ufuli led the Cardinal with double-digit kills for the fourth consecutive match. She notched 14 kills, hitting .222.
The Cardinals will face UTEP tomorrow, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. in their final non-conference match of the season.
FOLLOW ALONG
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on X @UIWAthletics, and on Instagram @uiw_athletics.
Follow the team on X @UIWVolleyball and on Instagram @uiw_volleyball.
