Friday, September 3
Knoxville, Tenn.
5:30 PM
Baylor
at
Tennessee
No. 9 VB To Take On Tennessee
9/2/2021 6:46:00 PM | Volleyball
The Bears face the Lady Volunteers in a Friday night matchup.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Ryan McGuyre is excited about where his ninth-ranked Baylor volleyball team is going to be in December. But, going into the second-straight weekend on the road, there are still questions to be answered.
After splitting a pair of top-10 matches against Minnesota and Wisconsin in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Madison, Wis., the Bears travel to Knoxville, Tenn., facing Tennessee (3-0) at 5:30 p.m. CST Friday and No. 7 Pittsburgh (3-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In addition to getting Marieke van der Mark "more comfortable in her role" at middle blocker, McGuyre is still "figuring out what's going to be best" for the All-American trio of outside hitters Yossiana Pressley, Avery Skinner and Lauren Harrison.
"There is no wrong decision. I think the right decision is to have them all out there," he said. "But, how can we do it in a way that's not going to mess up our chemistry and our rhythm? I feel excited about December, because I know we're going to keep improving each day. But, we have definitely not landed on maybe exactly what our identity is going to be."
A right-side hitter throughout most of her Baylor career, van der Mark made a huge impact in last Friday's season-opening win over then-No. 7 Minnesota with 14 kills and seven blocks in her first start at middle blocker.
"We always want to be a threat antenna to antenna, across the whole net," McGuyre said. "She's maybe better blocking one direction than the other. She's always used to moving to her right. I think she can get a little bit faster with more practice, moving to her left."
An honorable mention All-American last year after transferring from North Carolina, Harrison came off the bench in both matches and averaged 10 kills.
"Probably most proud of Lauren Harrison coming off the bench both nights and being an immediate impact," McGuyre said of Harrison, who had 13 kills in the 3-1 loss to No. 2 Wisconsin. "That's something that an All-American, four-kills-per-set transfer from Carolina has never had to be before. To me, that's huge."
A two-time All-American and the 2019 AVCA National Player of the Year, Pressley earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. She had 19 kills, 16 digs and four blocks in the 3-1 win over Minnesota and recorded another double-double with 15 kills and 13 digs versus Wisconsin.
Already holding the school record for kills in the rally-scoring era with 1,976, Pressley is closing in on Elisha Polk's overall school record, needing 298 more to surpass her.
Before facing their third top-10 opponent of the year, the Bears have to play an undefeated Tennessee team on its home floor. The Lady Vols didn't drop a set in last weekend's Tennessee Classic, sweeping Texas Tech, East Tennessee State and North Carolina State.
"They're very good," McGuyre said. "Tennessee is at home, they're hitting over .300 and nobody got more than 20 (points in a set) on them. Granted, their opponents are a little weaker. I'm not sure what they're like challenged, but they have firepower and chemistry."
In Tennessee's last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, current Baylor senior setter Callie Williams had 26 assists and a key fifth-set ace in a comeback win over Colorado State.
Saturday's matchup against No. 7 Pitt will be Baylor's third against a top-10 opponent. The Panthers made their first-ever region final last year, upsetting 10th-ranked Utah and No. 3 Minnesota before dropping a five-setter against No. 7 Washington.
Penn State transfer Serena Gray, a 6-2 middle blocker, had 31 kills, 11 blocks and four service aces in the first three matches.
"They're a real fast, tempo team," McGuyre said. "So, our ability to slow them down in system and then try to get them out of system with our serves, power and attacking will be key. Both teams are playing really clean, so they're not going to give up big runs. Pitt has a transfer in Serena Gray in the middle, a high flyer that gives them a weapon they didn't have last year when they were already good. We're going to have to be at our best for those matches."
Friday's match against Tennessee will be streamed by the SEC Network on ESPN+.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Baylor volleyball returns to action on Friday night when they face the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena at 5:30 p.m. CT.
The Bears (1-1) moved up one spot in the rankings to No. 9 going into week two of play. The Lady Vols (3-0) are receiving votes in the AVCA's weekly poll.
Baylor comes off a top-10 weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, to face both (RV) Tennessee and No. 7 Pittsburgh, but will see the Vols first. Tennessee swept its opening weekend, defeating Texas Tech, ETSU and NC State to take the Tennessee Classic as their own. Last season, the team went 8-4 in home matches.
The last time the Bears played Tennessee was in 2019 when the Green & Gold swept them in three straight sets at home in the Ferrell Center. The series between the two programs is tied at 1-1, with each team winning on their home courts.
BEAR BITES
To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVball.
NEXT UP
The Bears will play No. 7 Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon in Tennessee, with first serve set for 3 p.m. CT in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Baylor Bear Insider
Ryan McGuyre is excited about where his ninth-ranked Baylor volleyball team is going to be in December. But, going into the second-straight weekend on the road, there are still questions to be answered.
After splitting a pair of top-10 matches against Minnesota and Wisconsin in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Madison, Wis., the Bears travel to Knoxville, Tenn., facing Tennessee (3-0) at 5:30 p.m. CST Friday and No. 7 Pittsburgh (3-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In addition to getting Marieke van der Mark "more comfortable in her role" at middle blocker, McGuyre is still "figuring out what's going to be best" for the All-American trio of outside hitters Yossiana Pressley, Avery Skinner and Lauren Harrison.
"There is no wrong decision. I think the right decision is to have them all out there," he said. "But, how can we do it in a way that's not going to mess up our chemistry and our rhythm? I feel excited about December, because I know we're going to keep improving each day. But, we have definitely not landed on maybe exactly what our identity is going to be."
A right-side hitter throughout most of her Baylor career, van der Mark made a huge impact in last Friday's season-opening win over then-No. 7 Minnesota with 14 kills and seven blocks in her first start at middle blocker.
"We always want to be a threat antenna to antenna, across the whole net," McGuyre said. "She's maybe better blocking one direction than the other. She's always used to moving to her right. I think she can get a little bit faster with more practice, moving to her left."
An honorable mention All-American last year after transferring from North Carolina, Harrison came off the bench in both matches and averaged 10 kills.
"Probably most proud of Lauren Harrison coming off the bench both nights and being an immediate impact," McGuyre said of Harrison, who had 13 kills in the 3-1 loss to No. 2 Wisconsin. "That's something that an All-American, four-kills-per-set transfer from Carolina has never had to be before. To me, that's huge."
A two-time All-American and the 2019 AVCA National Player of the Year, Pressley earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. She had 19 kills, 16 digs and four blocks in the 3-1 win over Minnesota and recorded another double-double with 15 kills and 13 digs versus Wisconsin.
Already holding the school record for kills in the rally-scoring era with 1,976, Pressley is closing in on Elisha Polk's overall school record, needing 298 more to surpass her.
Before facing their third top-10 opponent of the year, the Bears have to play an undefeated Tennessee team on its home floor. The Lady Vols didn't drop a set in last weekend's Tennessee Classic, sweeping Texas Tech, East Tennessee State and North Carolina State.
"They're very good," McGuyre said. "Tennessee is at home, they're hitting over .300 and nobody got more than 20 (points in a set) on them. Granted, their opponents are a little weaker. I'm not sure what they're like challenged, but they have firepower and chemistry."
In Tennessee's last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, current Baylor senior setter Callie Williams had 26 assists and a key fifth-set ace in a comeback win over Colorado State.
Saturday's matchup against No. 7 Pitt will be Baylor's third against a top-10 opponent. The Panthers made their first-ever region final last year, upsetting 10th-ranked Utah and No. 3 Minnesota before dropping a five-setter against No. 7 Washington.
Penn State transfer Serena Gray, a 6-2 middle blocker, had 31 kills, 11 blocks and four service aces in the first three matches.
"They're a real fast, tempo team," McGuyre said. "So, our ability to slow them down in system and then try to get them out of system with our serves, power and attacking will be key. Both teams are playing really clean, so they're not going to give up big runs. Pitt has a transfer in Serena Gray in the middle, a high flyer that gives them a weapon they didn't have last year when they were already good. We're going to have to be at our best for those matches."
Friday's match against Tennessee will be streamed by the SEC Network on ESPN+.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Baylor volleyball returns to action on Friday night when they face the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena at 5:30 p.m. CT.
The Bears (1-1) moved up one spot in the rankings to No. 9 going into week two of play. The Lady Vols (3-0) are receiving votes in the AVCA's weekly poll.
Baylor comes off a top-10 weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, to face both (RV) Tennessee and No. 7 Pittsburgh, but will see the Vols first. Tennessee swept its opening weekend, defeating Texas Tech, ETSU and NC State to take the Tennessee Classic as their own. Last season, the team went 8-4 in home matches.
The last time the Bears played Tennessee was in 2019 when the Green & Gold swept them in three straight sets at home in the Ferrell Center. The series between the two programs is tied at 1-1, with each team winning on their home courts.
BEAR BITES
- Yossiana Pressley is only 24 kills away from her 2,000th career kill. She led the team in kills for week one, posting 19 against the Golden Gophers and 15 against the Badgers. She is 297 kills away from surpassing the Baylor career record holder for kills, Elisha Polk.
- TN Ties: Callie Williams transferred to Baylor after the 2018 season from Tennessee.
- Freshmen Elise McGhee and Lauren Briseño saw playing time in the first week of the regular-season.
- Marieke van der Mark played middle blocker for the first time in her career against No. 7 Minnesota, and did it again versus No. 2 Wisconsin.
To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVball.
NEXT UP
The Bears will play No. 7 Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon in Tennessee, with first serve set for 3 p.m. CT in Thompson-Boling Arena.
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/ VolleyballWould go to battle with this crew anytime 🫶
Monday, December 08
Hearts stopped. Records fell. Bears won!
Monday, December 08
Elevate ⬆️ and celebrate 🎉
Monday, December 08
💼 Workin' our way to match day
Monday, December 08
