Sept. 17, 2003
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Baylor senior outside hitter Tisha Schwartz had a team-high 15 kills, and sophomore outside hitter Kelly Spriggs sparked the Bears with 13 kills of the bench, but it was enough as the Bears' rally fell short against Missouri, 3-1 (30-20, 30-11, 25-30, 33-31), in the Big 12 opener Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center.
Shen Danru and Mary Lauren Smith recorded double-doubles for the Tigers (8-2, 1-0 Big 12). Danru had 21 kills, 17 digs and five aces, while Smith also had 21 kills 11 digs and four blocks.
Missouri jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the first game as Lindsay Hunter and Smith each served four-straight points. The Tigers hit .324 compared to just .024 for the Bears (6-6, 0-1) to win game one, 30-20.
Baylor couldn't get the attack going in game two, hitting -.071, while Missouri continued to roll hitting .458. Danru served 10-straight points, including four aces, as the Tigers jumped out to an 11-0 lead and went on to win the game, 30-11.
Spriggs brought the Bears back in game three, hitting .333 and pounding four kills. Schwartz and freshman middle blockers Nicole LeBlanc and Desiree Guilliard-Young added three kills, and the Bears combined for four blocks to win the game, 30-25.
Danru served four-straight points in game four as the Tigers jumped out to a 9-3 lead, but the Bears battled back and tied the game at 13. Schwartz and Danru each had seven kills in the game as the two teams tied 14 more times the rest of the game. The game was tied late in the frame at 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 before Missouri came through with the final two points to win the game, 33-31.
Sophomore setter Emily Huston had 39 assists, 10 digs and six blocks for the Bears, while senior libero Stevie Nicholas led the team defensively with 13 digs. Outside hitters Stella Odion and Andrea Vakulya also recorded double-digit digs, while LeBlanc added 10 kills. Guilliard-Young had nine blocks as the Bears had 12 as a team, while Missouri recorded 17.
Baylor hits the road to face Iowa State in Big 12 action on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
For more information contact: Russell Reneau, (254) 710-4049, Russell_Reneau@baylor.edu.
