Nov. 8, 2003

Box Score

WACO, Texas - Freshman outside hitter Andrea Vakulya was on a mission, hitting .556 with a career-high 23 kills and added 12 digs for her seventh double-double of the season and a career-high four assists to lead the Bears to a 3-1 (30-24, 33-31, 29-31, 30-28) victory over Iowa State in Big 12 volleyball action Saturday night at the Ferrell Center. Senior outside hitter Tisha Schwartz chipped in 21 kills, the 11th time this season she has posted 20 or more, and had 19 digs for her league-leading 14th double-double.

Freshman middle blocker Nicole LeBlanc hit .407 with 14 kills, a career-high tying five digs and a match-high seven blocks for the Bears (12-16, 4-11 Big 12). Freshman outside hitter Eszter Kovacs hit .243 with a career-high 13 kills, the first time in her career she has posted double digits. Sophomore setter Emily Huston had 48 assists and a career-high 15 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Sophomore defensive specialist Marisa Kersten came one dig shy of her career high with 14, while senior libero Stevie Nicholas added 13.

Brittany Dalager led Iowa State (11-15, 3-12) with 16 kills and 19 digs, while Ashlie McWee had 15 kills. Renae Pruess and Katie Kruenegel each had 13 kills, and Dana Koziol had a match-high 20 digs.

Baylor took an 8-7 lead early in game one, but Iowa State scored six-straight points to go up 13-8. Trailing 14-9, the Bears reeled off a seven-point rally of their own behind the serve of Schwartz to go up, 16-14. The two teams traded the lead until Baylor scored three-straight points to go up 22-18 and closed out the opening frame, 30-24. Baylor hit .302 in the game, while holding the Cyclones to just .163.

Game two was tight the whole way as there were 16 ties and neither team ever led by more than three. Baylor looked to take control at 17-14, but Iowa State answered back and eventually tied the game, 24-24. The Cyclones had a chance to even the match, leading 30-29, but Schwartz pulled the Bears even. Tied 31-31, Baylor got a kill from Vakulya and an attacking error by Iowa State gave the Bears a 2-0 advantage going into the break.

The Bears jumped out to a 6-3 lead in game three, but the Cyclones put together a six-point rally to go up, 9-6. After another four-point run put Iowa State up 14-8, sophomore setter Maggie Chlebana, who ended up with 14 assists in only one game, stepped in for Huston and led the Bears on a comeback. Baylor got back to within two at 21-19 and stayed within striking distance. The Bears faced another game point at 29-26 and looked as if they might pull off another game-saving rally by scoring three-straight to tie the game, 29-29. Even though the Bears hit for their highest percentage of the night at .364, the Cyclones put away the final two points to take game three, 31-29.

Iowa State got off to a fast start in game four by taking a 7-2 lead, but the Bears rebounded by scoring four-straight points to cut the lead to 9-8. The Cyclones pushed back ahead and led by as many as six at 22-16. Baylor scored three-straight to cut the edge to 22-19 and later got a sideout to trail 25-23. The Bears ripped off four more points to take a 27-25 lead. The Cyclones battled back to tie the game at 28-28, but Baylor, which hit .357 in game four, got a kill from LeBlanc and a block by LeBlanc and Huston to end the match and the Bears' six-match losing streak.

The Bears return to action when they hit the road to face SMU in non-conference action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum in Dallas.