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Baylor (14-6, 2-4 Big 12) vs TCU (14-5, 4-3 Big 12) October 21, 2015 | 7 p.m. CT Fort Worth, TX | University Recreation Center (1,900) TV: FOX Sports Southwest Plus Listen | | Baylor Match Notes

WACO, Texas -- The Baylor volleyball team (14-6, 2-4 Big 12) takes a quick trip up I-35 to face the TCU Horned Frogs (14-5, 4-3 Big 12) on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m. CT in the University Recreation Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Following a drumming of West Virginia to earn the team's first conference road win, the Bears will look to take a quality road win from a TCU squad that is also under a new head coach, in the first season under Jill Kramer's leadership.

The Bears lead the all-time series with TCU by a respectable 10-4 margin. Baylor has split the series in Fort Worth with the Horned Frogs, 3-3.

Baylor managed to halt a three-match skid with TCU, taking a win in Waco last season. The Horned Frogs have held a recent advantage, going into Wednesday's match having won three of the last four contests, including the last two matches in Fort Worth.

Wednesday's match will be broadcast by FOX Sports Southwest Plus, with Chuck LaMendola and Pam Lea commentating. Fans can listen to Baylor's Internet radio broadcast on BaylorBears.com/AllAccess. Keep up with the team all season long by following Baylor Volleyball on the team's official Twitter page, @BaylorVball.

MATCH INFO:
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
Fort Worth, Texas
University Recreation Center (1,900)
TV: FOX Sports Southwest Plus
BU Audio: BaylorBears.com/AllAccess
Live Stats: GoFrogs.com

BAYLOR BEARS
2015 Record: 14-6
2015 Big 12 Record: 2-4
Head Coach: Ryan McGuyre (1st season)
All-Time Record vs. TCU: 10-4 (last meeting, four-set win in Waco, 11/12/14)
All-Time Record vs. TCU in Fort Worth: 3-3 (last meeting, four-set loss, 10/4/14)

TCU HORNED FROGS

2015 Record: 14-5
2015 Big 12 Record: 4-3
Head Coach: Jill Kramer (1st season)

Baylor Volleyball Match Preview
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

In a matchup of first-year head coaches, the Baylor Bears and coach Ryan McGuyre will face the TCU Horned Frogs and coach Jill Kramer at 7 p.m. Wednesday at University Recreation Center in Fort Worth.

Baylor (14-6, 2-4) is coming off a 3-0 sweep at West Virginia and has already matched last year's win total when the Bears finished 14-17.

"Really, I think how we play Wednesday is probably going to give me the best assessment of where we're at, what we're trying to do," McGuyre said. "Going on the road and getting that win was good and that definitely helps us moving forward. At this point in the season, you want our identity to kick in. And that's a team that's ready to battle, a team that really understands one way to play.

"I'm still waiting for us to break into this dynamic style of play that we've seen many, many glimpses of, that have helped us win, but one that's really cemented in from first serve to the final point."

Against West Virginia, the Bears had a 12-5 edge in blocks and hit .385 with 40 kills and only 10 errors in 78 swings. Senior Adrien Richburg had one solo block and eight assists, while Andie Malloy and Shelly Fanning had 10 kills apiece.

"I think it gave our team a bunch of confidence," Richburg said. "Winning on the road is great, because it's so hard to win on the road in the Big 12. It just upped our confidence going to TCU."

After opening league play with losses to nationally ranked Texas and Kansas, the Horned Frogs (14-5, 4-3) reeled off four straight wins before dropping a 3-1 decision at Iowa State on Saturday. Ashley Smith ranks among the Big 12 leaders with 20 aces and 3.01 kills per set.

"They're trying to turn things around up there as well," McGuyre said. "They do a good job of blocking . . . and they're unique like us with maybe a little bit of a non-traditional lineup at times. And they spread it around. They have one outside hitter (Smith) who takes the bulk of their swings at times."

TCU (1st, 2.97 per set) and Baylor (4th, 2.30) both rank among the top blocking teams in the league. Playing so many freshmen in the lineup, McGuyre says it's taken his team a while to get the hang of defending the net.

"Blocking really is the most complicated skill," he said. "It's a matter of reading, deflecting, understanding angles, being in the right places. You have to react quickly to a lot of things coming across. We've found some ways to simplify it a little more for our younger blockers and put them in better positions early so that maybe they don't have to process as much. Ultimately, you want to be simple so that you can be great at the simple things."

The Bears return home to host Iowa State (11-6, 4-2) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ferrell Center during Homecoming weekend. Richburg is the "B" Association nominee for Homecoming queen, the year after softball's Kaitlyn Thumann was crowned.

"It did surprise me," Richburg said. "I felt very honored and thankful that my coaches nominated me. They did a great job writing the email me to try to get me nominated. They said such great things about me that I felt really honored."

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