Oct. 26, 2006
Volleyball Preview: Baylor vs. #16 Missouri
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BAYLOR (13-10, 2-9 Big 12) vs. #16 Missouri (14-7, 8-4 Big 12)
Friday, Oct. 27 - 7 p.m.
Ferrell Center - Waco, Texas
Live audio broadcast and Gametracker: BaylorBears.com
Baylor volleyball hosts 16th-ranked Missouri in a rare Friday home contest on Halloween Costume Night at 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center. The live audio broadcast will be available through CSTV's All-Access on BaylorBears.com at 6:45 p.m.
The Bears, which have lost eight straight after starting the season 13-2, are led by senior outside hitter Nicole LeBlanc, who averages 3.59 kills and 3.13 digs per game. Senior middle blocker Desiree Guilliard-Young ranks second in the Big 12 conference with 1.53 blocks per game to go along with a .353 hitting percentage and 2.93 kills per game. Freshman Taylor Barnes paces the offense with 11.26 assists game, 1.29 kills and 2.17 digs per game, while leading the league with 0.55 aces per game. Junior libero Kristen Schramek ranks sixth in the conference with 4.01 digs per game.
In their last match, the Bears were swept by Iowa State Saturday night at the Ferrell Center. LeBlanc led Baylor with 17 kills and eight digs, while freshman Anna Breyfogle added 10 kills. Schramek led the team defensively with nine digs.
Missouri is led by senior Jessica Vander Kooi, who ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 4.23 kills per game, while also averaging 3.25 digs and 1.08 blocks per game and ranking fifth in the league with 0.35 aces per game. The Tigers are led defensively by Tatum Ailes, who ranks third in the conference with 4.69 digs per game.
In this season's prior meeting with Missouri Sept. 27 in Columbia, Barnes set the Big 12 record with 11 aces and added nine kills, 43 assists and seven blocks in the Bears' 3-1 loss to the Tigers. Baylor took game one, 30-23, but Missouri edged the Bears in each of the last three games, 30-26, 32-30 and 30-26. Breyfogle led Baylor with 17 kills, while LeBlanc had 11 kills and 18 digs.
The Bears return to action when they hit the road for the first time in two weeks against Texas A&M Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at G. Rollie White Coliseum in College Station, Texas.
