Sept. 27, 2003

Box Score

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Baylor led 14-10 at match point in the decisive fifth game, but Kansas made a remarkable comeback to score the final six points of the match and down the Bears, 3-2 (30-28, 25-30, 26-30, 30-21, 16-14), in Big 12 Conference action Saturday night at the Horejsi Family Athletic Center. Senior libero Stevie Nicholas picked up her sixth dig early in game two, giving her 1,000 for her career. Nicholas becomes only the fifth player in Baylor history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for her career, joining Elisha Polk (1996-99), Heather Williams (1989-92), Jenny DeLue (1990-93) and Cory Sivertson (1991-94).

Sophomore outside hitter Kelly Spriggs and senior outside hitter Tisha Schwartz led the Bears (9-7, 2-2 Big 12) with 14 kills each, while freshman middle blocker Desiree Guilliard-Young hit .379 and added 13 kills. Nicholas ended up with 16 digs to lead Baylor defensively, while Schwartz had 14 for her team-leading sixth double-double of the season. Sophomore defensive specialist Marisa Kersten and freshman outside hitter Andrea Vakulya also had double-digit digs.

Sarah Rome had a match-high 21 kills and added 15 digs for Kansas (10-4, 2-1), while Janaina Correa also had a double-double with 18 kills and 12 digs. Jill Dorsey had a match-high 17 digs to lead the Jayhawks defensively.

Kansas took control of game one by scoring five-straight points to make the score, 13-7, but the two teams traded points and Baylor battled back to a 23-23 tie. The Jayhawks, who hit .225 for the game, then scored four-straight points and held on to win the opening frame, 30-28. The Bears hit only .162 and got five kills from Spriggs and four from Guilliard-Young.

Baylor rebounded in the second game, hitting .235 and holding Kansas to .047. Spriggs and Guilliard-Young each led the Bears with four kills. The Bears jumped out to a 6-3 lead, but the Jayhawks scored five straight to take an 8-6 lead. After a sideout, sophomore defensive specialist Marisa Kersten had a pair of aces and the Bears got a pair of blocks to take a 12-9 lead. The two teams traded four-point runs, but Baylor's final push gave it a 27-21 lead and the Bears held on to win the game, 30-25.

Continuing a recent trend, the Bears got off to a quick start after the intermission. With the score tied, 4-4, Baylor ripped off seven-straight points behind the serve of Schwartz, which included a pair of aces. Schwartz also led the Bears with four kills in the game. Baylor, which hit .273 for the game, had trouble putting the Jayhawks, which hit .244, away. Facing game point at 29-21, the Jayhawks scored five straight before the Bears won game three, 30-26.

Kansas got off to the quick start in game four, scoring seven-straight points to take a 12-6 lead, but Baylor responded by scoring five-straight points behind the serve of Kersten to cut the lead to 12-11. The Jayhawks were not going away, though, and used a 13-2 run to jump out to a commanding lead and even the match with a 30-21 win. The Bears hit only .087 for the game, while the Jayhawks hit .267.

Baylor pushed ahead for a 7-3 lead early in the decisive game, but Kansas bounced back to cut the lead to 9-8. The Bears then got to match point, 14-10, but the Jayhawks made a remarkable comeback and scored the final six points of the match.

The Bears continue Big 12 play as they host Oklahoma on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.