KU volleyball sweeps No. 17 Baylor

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Ayah Elnady spikes the ball against West Virginia's Maddy McGath on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

Rallying from early deficits in each of the first two sets, the 12th-ranked Kansas volleyball team pulled away from No. 17 Baylor on Saturday and claimed a 3-0 sweep (25-22, 26-24, 25-17) at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

KU, which had just beaten No. 18 TCU three days earlier, improved to 22-3 overall and 13-2 in Big 12 play with three matches to go in the year.

Saturday’s victory relied on a well-rounded effort from the Jayhawks, led by 14 kills and 13 digs from outside hitter Ayah Elnady, with 11 additional kills apiece from Caroline Bien and London Davis. Camryn Turner racked up 40 assists in the three-set match, as KU overcame 12 service errors on the day.

Baylor featured outside hitter Elise McGhee, the only Bear in double digits with 11 kills of her own.

The Bears held multiple four-point leads early in the first game and led 9-6 before conceding a 6-1 run, including a go-ahead solo block by Elnady. Baylor managed to tie the set again at 16-16 on a kill by setter Jackie Barrett Frazier but never quite retook the lead, and London Davis scored the decisive point.

KU took even longer in the second set to make its move, falling behind 14-9 due to three straight blocks by the Bears’ defense before three kills by Davis in quick succession helped the Jayhawks draw closer. The Bears led 19-16 but gave up three straight, and the teams traded points for much of the rest of the set. BU staved off one set point with a kill by Allie Sczech before Bien put KU back in front and then Reese Ptacek made the game-deciding block.

The final set was not nearly as close, as Turner set up four straight kills to help KU get a 19-12 lead midway through the set on its way to a 25-17 victory.

“The joy in this arena when they play, the enthusiasm,” KU coach Ray Bechard said in a press release. “We’ve got a line around the block here wanting to get autographs. I just think this is a team that the community, this university and the athletic department can really identify with because they do it the right way.”

KU will take a short break before traveling to Manhattan for a Sunflower Showdown rematch on Nov. 24. The Jayhawks beat the Wildcats in five sets in Lawrence on Oct. 17.

League leader Arizona State hasn’t slipped up, recently sweeping West Virginia and Cincinnati on the road and thus maintaining its one-game edge over KU in conference play, but even if the Jayhawks haven’t quite gotten back into title contention, they have at least strengthened their national standing ahead of the NCAA Tournament with consecutive ranked wins.