Nov. 20, 2002

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Several scoring runs and slow starts proved fatal for Baylor here Wednesday night as the Bears dropped a 30-21, 30-24, 30-21 decision to No. 22 Missouri in Big 12 Conference volleyball action. The loss drops Baylor to 9-19 on the season, 2-15 in Big 12 play. The Tigers improve to 23-6 overall and 12-5 in conference action.

Tisha Schwartz finished with her ninth double-double of the season, leading the Bears with 15 kills and 10 digs. Laura Daniela Lloreda added 10 kills and just missed a double-double with nine digs.

Missouri's attack was too strong for Baylor in the first game; the Tigers hit .324 as a team with 17 kills. Christi Myers was perfect in the opener with six kills in six attempts, and Mary Lauren Smith added five kills. Meanwhile, Baylor got six kills from Lloreda, but no other player had more than two. The Bears hit just .091 (10-7-33) as a team.

Missouri jumped out to a 9-3 lead and never looked back. The Bears pulled to within one point at 9-8, but the Tigers regained control of the game with a three-point run. Baylor never got to within three points after that.

In game two, Missouri scored the first seven points and appeared to have Baylor against the ropes. However, the Bears battled back, scoring 16 of the next 26 points to pull within one point at 17-16. That was as close as the Bears would get, though, as Missouri opened its lead back out with a 6-2 run. Baylor closed to within three at 26-23, but back-to-back attacking errors by the Bears propelled Missouri to the 30-24 victory.

After connecting on six of its first nine swings with no errors in the second game, Missouri cooled to .262 (18-7-42). Baylor continued to struggle offensively, slipping to .026 (11-10-38). Schwartz picked things up with five second-game kills, but again no other Bear had more than two kills.

Baylor stayed with Missouri early in game three, leading on three occasions through the first two rotations. However, with the score tied 9-9, the Tigers score four straight and 11 of the next 14 points and took a commanding 20-12 lead. The Bears answered with four straight points, making it 20-16, but Baylor could get no closer.

Myers and Smith led Missouri with 15 kills each, hitting .625 and .393 respectively. The Tigers hit .308 as a team on the night.

Baylor returns to action Saturday, facing its second straight nationally ranked opponent. The Bears host No. 5 Nebraska for a 7 p.m. CST match at the Ferrell Center. The Huskers defeated Baylor in three games earlier this season at Lincoln, Neb., and have won all 14 meetings in the series.