Nov. 8, 2016 Baylor-Texas Match Notes 
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Looking for its first win over Texas in 15 years and first ever in Austin, the Baylor volleyball team (19-7, 7-3) will face the fifth-ranked Longhorns (18-3, 10-1) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Gregory Gym.
The Bears have lost 28 in a row to Texas and are 2-78 all-time (0-36 in Austin), but second-year head coach Ryan McGuyre welcomes the challenge.
"We love all competition that makes us better," he said. "To be one of the top teams, you've got to play one of the top teams. Texas has been that the last several years, so it's always a good test to see how we've improved. When good teams play good teams, you tend to exploit weaknesses that maybe some of the weaker teams don't reveal."
UT has won five Big 12 titles in a row and lost in last year's NCAA championship final. But, this year's team has shown at least glimpses of vulnerability, falling in five sets at Kansas on Oct. 29 and being taken to five sets by Kansas State, Iowa State and even last-place Texas Tech.
"Other teams that we've beaten have been able to take them to five or really compete with them," said junior outside Katie Staiger, who earned her program-record fifth Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor after a career-high 31 kills in a four-set win at Texas Tech last Wednesday. "So, I think there are cracks in the armor. There are areas where I think we're stronger than them. It's just going to have to be us playing really clean the whole game."
McGuyre said some of the five-setters "had a lot to do with Texas (not) being dialed-in."
"For us, we need to consistently play at a high level," he said. "We're hopeful that us at our best beats Texas at their best. That, at least, gives us an opportunity to win sets and be close at the end."
Baylor took a set off the Longhorns for the first time in three years, winning the opening frame, 25-21, in a four-set loss in Waco back on Oct. 12. Staiger had a match-high 25 kills, hit .274 and notched 10 digs for one of her Big 12-best 14 double-doubles this season, but the rest of the team combined for just 19 kills and a .025 hitting percentage in that first matchup.
"You need your stars to play like stars in some of these big matches," McGuyre said. "Katie's probably got to get another 30 kills for us to win at Texas."
Staiger said the Longhorns "are going to expect me to hit it every time," so she has to know the block is going to be there and either hit around the wall or set up another teammate for the kill.
One of the keys, too, is Baylor's defense. Texas hit .374 against in the first meeting and out-blocked the Bears, 16-3.
"Probably the difference in the last match is we need digs that equal kills," McGuyre said. "We had digs that we did not convert into points. For us to win at Texas, we need shorter rallies in our favor."
Third in the Big 12 standings and 35th in the latest RPI rankings, Baylor likely needs to win just one of its last six to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since a first-round exit in 2011.
However, McGuyre said the team needs to "remember what we're designed and created for" instead of focusing on "temporal things."
"Those are healthy dreams and things we still want to see happen," he said, "but they can get our eyes off of what's made this team special this year. It's been that self-sacrifice and that discipline to play for the Lord and play for each other."
Baylor will play three of its last five games at home, including Saturday's 1 p.m. matchup against West Virginia (12-13, 3-8).
WACO, Texas - Baylor volleyball (19-7, 7-3) enters the steep final stretch of the season, facing the No. 5 Texas Longhorns (18-3, 10-1) on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in Gregory Gymnasium.
BU logged its 19th win of the season and its seventh conference win the last time out on the court, downing Texas Tech in four sets last Wednesday evening in Lubbock.
BU is chasing a postseason berth, with a win over the Longhorns poised to add an exclamation point to an already remarkable season.
Not only could Baylor the program's first 20 win season since 2012 and the first eight-plus Big 12 win season since 2010, a victory in Austin would be the first ever for the up-and-coming program.
The teams meet for the second time this season, with then-No. 4 Texas winning in four sets on Oct. 12.
The Longhorns have carried the advantage in the all-time series between the school, leading 78-2 overall and 36-0 in Austin.
The Wednesday showdown will be televised on the Longhorn Network and Watch ESPN, with Nell Fortner and Tyler Denning handling talent for the network.
For this and all other Baylor road matches, fans can tune into the live internet radio broadcast on BaylorBears.com/allaccess.
Keep up with the team all season long by following Baylor Volleyball's official accounts on Twitter (@BaylorVball), Facebook (Baylor Volleyball), Instagram (@BaylorVolleyball), and Snapchat (@BaylorVball).
MATCH INFO:
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Gregory Gymnasium | Austin, Texas
Audio: BaylorBears.com (Paid)
Talent: Jonathan Hill
TV: Longhorn Network and WatchESPN
Talent: Nell Fortner and Tyler Denning
Live Stats: TexasSports.com
BAYLOR BEARS
2015 Record: 17-13
2016 Record: 19-7
2016 Big 12 Record: 7-3
Head Coach: Ryan McGuyre (2nd season)
All-Time Record vs. TEXAS: 78-2
All-Time Record vs. TEXAS in AUSTIN: 36-0
TEXAS LONGHORNS
2015 Record: 30-3
2016 Record: 18-3
2016 Big 12 Record: 10-1
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (16th season)
#SicEm
