By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Ryan McGuyre believes the potential of the 16^th-ranked Baylor volleyball team (0-2) is "exponential."
            "I need to make sure I don't get too far ahead, but championships are won in December," said McGuyre, whose Bears will face No. 18 Rice (2-1) in their home opener at 7 p.m. Friday at the Ferrell Center. "Right now, we're lifting the weights, we're grinding it out with good opponents on the road. It's going to make us stronger."
            In the season-opening Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Minneapolis, Baylor lost 3-1 to then-No. 2 Wisconsin and 3-0 to seventh-ranked Minnesota. The Badgers and Golden Gophers moved up to No. 1 and No. 5, respectively, after some upsets in the opening week of the season.
            "I think we had some really good conversations come out of this weekend," junior libero Lauren Briseño said. "We know that we have a lot of things that we can work on. And I think going into practices after the weekend, they have been so much more intentional and dialed-in than practices have been before. It's something I'm really excited about."
            Freshman Kyndal Stowers had an impressive weekend, earning all-tournament honors, averaging 3.43 kills and 1.86 digs and ranking among the Big 12 leaders with five service aces.
            "She has that healthy balance of drive, skill, tenacity," McGuyre said. "Leadership, not having seniors, is a big area we want to grow in and excel in. Just the balance of the frustration in the loss, but 'Hey, here's the hope, here's what we're going to get after, here's what we're going to do.' We don't want her to have to carry us all season, because she's got a great surrounding cast and it's maybe a lot for a freshman to do. But she's involved in every skill."
            After losing middle blockers Kara McGhee and Mallory Talbert, McGuyre said the Bears need more out of opposite-side hitter Allie Sczech and outside hitters Elise McGhee and Kendal Murphy, "so that our middles aren't having to do all that Kara and Mallory did for us last year."
            Sophomore Alicia Andrew and junior college All-American Manuela Bibinbe have stepped into the middle blocker positions, but they have combined for just six total blocks in the first two matches.
            "We lost (outside hitter) Lauren Harrison, too, so that was 50% of our offense," McGuyre said. "We're not trying to get all 50% back with our new girls, but Stowers has to carry a similar load as Lauren. Allie Sczech has to carry a little bit more of the load. And Elise a little bit more of the load."
            Interestingly enough, this is Baylor's first home match since outlasting Rice, 3-2, in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament.
            "We know they're going to be hungrier," Briseño said, "because we're the ones that ended their season. We really respect their program. Volleyball is getting so competitive now. I think after this weekend, we are very hungry to get after it and just playing with a chip on our shoulders. What a better way to do that than play a top-25 matchup against Rice."
            The Owls have lost nine-straight to Baylor, but trail the all-time series by just one, 24-23. Baylor is 12-9 at home versus Rice and 99-23 in the Ferrell Center overall under McGuyre.
            "It's definitely hard just losing in general, but also losing in three (to Minnesota)," sophomore defensive specialist Alexis Dacosta said. "We don't want to go 0-3. We're really fighting hard and fighting hard in practice so that we can make sure we go win this next game. Even though it does hurt, it's looking at what's ahead of us but not letting the past get to us too much."
            Playing their first three games at home, the Owls defeated Southern Miss and swept then-No. 22 USC before getting swept by Louisiana.
            "I think both of us probably didn't play the best in our last match," McGuyre said. "And I think both teams got maybe a bad taste in our mouths. I think (Friday's match) is about who can overcome and respond and get back to being the best version of themselves. I like where we're at. When we're dialed-in, I think we're pretty awesome. So, looking forward to the test and the first home game of 2023."
            Rice is led by USC transfer Emilia Weske, who has a team-high 35 kills from her opposite-side position, while Nia McCardell is leading with 53 digs and Satasha Kostelecky with six blocks.
            "Their challenge is they had an amazing setter, a spectacular setter that just understood tempo, rhythm, location and kind of willed their team to victory," McGuyre said. "I thought Carly Graham was one of the best setters in the country. She knew when to dump the ball, just very cagey. When things are going well for them, they look pretty good. In their last match, they had some connection issues like all of us normally have early on in the season."
            Friday's match will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with "Voice of the Bears" John Morris and former Baylor volleyball All-American Katie Smith calling the action.
 

WACO, Texas – The 16^th-ranked Baylor volleyball team is set to host No. 18 Rice for its home opener on Friday, with first serve at 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.
 
BU (0-2) hosts the Owls (2-1) in Waco for the 22^nd time in program history, the Bears leading the series at 12-9. The series overall is in Baylor's favor at 24-23. When playing at the Ferrell Center with Ryan McGuyre at the helm of the program, Baylor is 99-23.
 
The top-20 matchup is the third in a row for the Bears as they faced then-No.2 Wisconsin and then-No. 7 Minnesota in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge.
 
BU is on a nine-match winning streak against Rice, seeing the Owls last in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 16 when the Bears won in five sets.
 
Both Baylor and Rice are coming off losses to meet in Waco. The match will be the Owls' first on the road of the season.
 
Emilia Weske currently leads Rice in kills for the young season with 35, while Nia McCardell is leading in digs with 53 and Satasha Kostelecky has six blocks.
 
For the Bears, freshman Kyndal Stowers is leading the squad with 24 kills, while both Averi Carlson and Alicia Andrew have four blocks. Stowers was named to the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament team for leading BU in kills on the weekend.
 
BU fans are invited to partake in post-match autographs with the student-athletes with the new 2023 schedule posters, and an ice cream giveaway is available while supplies last. There is also an opportunity for face painting and a drawing for a Baylor cooler at the match.
 
The match will be streamed on ESPN+ with John Morris and Katie Smith on the call. Live stats can be found at BaylorStats.com.
 
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the Baylor Volleyball season can do so by visiting BaylorBears.com/Tickets. All seats are general admission for volleyball in the Ferrell Center.
 
To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.