FORT WORTH, Texas – The No. 16-ranked Baylor volleyball program fell in the season opener on Friday, 3-1, to fifth-ranked Minnesota in the first match of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Fort Worth.
 
The Bears (0-1, 0-0) took set one, 25-23, but the Gophers (1-0) powered through and won the next three at 25-16, 25-23, 25-17.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set One
Starting the match for the Bears for the first time this season were Lauren Briseño, Averi Carlson, Sophia Keene, Riley Simpson, Mallory Talbert, Kara McGhee and Lauren Harrison. It was the first career start for four BU players in Carlson, Keene, Simpson and transfer Talbert. Simpson got her first career kill to open the match. BU and UM kept it close toward the beginning of the set, but after being tied at 9-9, the Bears pushed ahead. They went on a five-point run before Minnesota called time. At the next Gopher timeout, Baylor was up by five at 20-15, and the Bears came right back out with Briseño getting an ace. The Bears kept pushing, but UM pushed back. The set was won just as it started with a kill from Simpson. In the set, freshmen Allie Sczech and Keene as well as grad transfer Talbert got their first career kills.
 
Set Two
With momentum behind them, BU stepped into set two. Sczech started the scoring, and mistakes from the Gophers helped get things rolling. Minnesota started a run and scored five unanswered before Baylor called timeout. Sczech put a stop to it, but UM wasn't finished and scored five in a row. BU made another push and it became 16-11, but the Bears couldn't cut the lead further and the set finished at 25-16. 
 
Set Three
The start of set three was in BU's favor once more, with a Minnesota service error putting them on the board first. Through the first 10 points each, the teams were matching each other in scoring. The Bears then went up 15-12 before the Gophers started their push. Behind at 17-15, BU took a timeout. Out of it, Elise McGhee scored, then Harrison to tie it and then go one further. Inching forward, UM made it 21-18 and BU called for a pause again. Back and forth ensued with the scoring, and Simpson made the deficit just by one at 24-23. The Gophers closed the set at 25-23 despite the push from the Bears. 
 
Set Four
Just like the three sets before, Baylor scored the first point, starting the set again with a kill from Sczech. Momentum behind them, Minnesota went up 8-2 early on, prompting a BU timeout. Out of the timeout, UM scored two more before Harrison scored two of her own. The Badgers were up by 10 when the Bears took another pause. Out of the timeout, Talbert recorded a kill, but the pressure was strong from Minnesota. A kill from Kara McGhee and then Lauren Harrison had the Bears at 20-13. A push from BU was on its way but the Gophers kept up their scoring and finished the set and the match, 25-17.  
 
QUOTABLE
Head Coach – Ryan McGuyre
"I'm proud of how we came out and started the match; did a lot of really good things. Just curious to see how our freshmen would be in a big matchup versus a big team. I thought our composure overall was good. Now, we've got to work on consistency and learning parts of the game just takes time. Everyone has this challenge, but just two weeks to put everything in place probably isn't enough time. I'm excited about our future and what we can do. Definitely things in this match that we could have done better. Try and repeat the bright spots a little bit more, and slow down and limit the things that hurt us a little bit less."
 
NOTABLE

• Six Bears had their first career match in the green and gold (Avery Carlson, Alexis Dacosta, Sophia Keene, Allie Sczech, Riley Simpson, Mallory Talbert)
• Five of them also recorded their first kill (Alexis Dacosta, Sophia Keene, Allie Sczech, Riley Simpson, Mallory Talbert)
• Baylor began each set scoring first (Simpson, Sczech, service error, Sczech)
• BU had a better serve percentage at .927 over UM's .897
• Lauren Harrison led the team with 18 kills on the night, followed by Simpson with nine
• Sophomore libero Briseño recorded her 200th career dig against the Gophers

UP NEXT
BU will take on third-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Schollmaier Arena. The last time the two met was the same scenario - the second match of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge, but on their home court in the Wisconsin Field House. The defending national champions defeated TCU on Friday night after the Baylor/Minnesota match, taking the match over the Horned Frogs in three sets.

To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.