Oct. 23, 2002

Box Score

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A balanced offensive attack and solid floor defense propelled Texas A&M to a 3-24, 30-20, 30-22 victory over Baylor here Wednesday night in Big 12 Conference volleyball action. The Bears fall to 8-12 overall with the loss, 2-8 in Big 12 action. The Aggies improve to 13-6 and 5-5.

Already riddled with injuries, things got worse for Baylor midway through game three. Laura Daniela Lloreda, who earlier this season missed four weeks due to a grade-three ankle sprain, rolled the same ankle and was forced to miss the rest of the match.

Lloreda was Baylor's top threat on the night before the injury. She finished with nine kills and eight digs. Lloreda sustained the injury just as Texas A&M took an 11-10 lead in game three. Texas A&M scored eight of the next 10 points, building an insurmountable 19-12 lead. Trailing 28-17, though, the Bears scored five straight points to pull within six. However, a Lindsey Long service error and a Tara Pulaski kill closed out the match for the Aggies.

"It's tough when you have to deal with an injury in the middle of a match," head coach Brian Hosfeld said. Baylor has played just three matches this season without at least one starter out due to injury. "But the rest of the team hung in there and fought hard to the end. That was good to see."

Tisha Schwartz led the Bears with 12 kills, but she was forced into seven errors for a .098 attacking percentage. Jillian Mazzarella collected 13 digs to lead Baylor defensively.

Five Aggies had at least 10 digs, led by Melissa Munsch with 20. Texas A&M out-dug Baylor 76-48 and out-killed the Bears 58-35.

Neither team led in game one by more than three points until the Aggies reeled off five straight, extending a 17-15 lead to 22-15. Baylor was able to cut the lead to four points at 28-24 with a four-point run, but the Bears could get no closer. A&M hit .255 in the opener, holding Baylor to a .125 clip. Lloreda led the Bears with six errorless kills in 11 swings (.545) in the first game. Schwartz had five kills but hit just .095 with three attacking errors.

Game two was tight until another A&M run midway through put the Aggies ahead for good. Baylor led 15-14, but Texas A&M out-scored the Bears 16-5 the rest of the way for the 30-20 victory. The Aggies' offense improved in game two, hitting .325 (21-8-40) as a team. Meanwhile, Baylor remained the same, hitting .122 (10-5-41).

Baylor returns to action Saturday, hosting Iowa State for a 6 p.m. CDT match at the Ferrell Center. The Bears have won nine straight against the Cyclones, including a four-game victory at Ames, Iowa, earlier this season.