WACO, Texas – Iowa State (18-10, 9-5 Big 12) came up short against No. 15 Baylor (22-5, 11-3 Big 12) dropping the match in four sets (20-25, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26).
Alexis Engelbrecht solidified a new career high of 12 kills while achieving the total at .524 hitting. Duckworth also had over 10 as the Big 12 Rookie of the Week recorded 14 to tie the match high. Engelbrecht and Duckworth both notched their 10th kill in the third set.
Eleanor Holthaus went out to her 30th career double-double with 10 kills and a team-leading 12 digs.
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SET ONE
Iowa State and Baylor kept it even to begin the match. At the media timeout, Baylor held a three-point edge at 15-12. Duckworth hit her third kill on four attempts to halt a 3-0 BU run to put the scoreboard at 18-14. ISU continued to battle on a 3-0 run of their own on back-to-back aces by Brooke Stonestreet to cause a Baylor timeout. The Bears pulled ahead to take three-straight points and the set while hitting at .360, 25-20.
SET TWO
Iowa State got its first two points on Baylor service errors before Engelbrecht brought in her third kill at .600 hitting to tie it up at three. Three ISU attack errors built BU’s lead to four at 7-3. Duckworth followed Stonestreet in serving up two-straight aces to cut the lead to 7-6. The Cyclones went out to a 7-1 run to get their first lead of the set at 10-8. Baylor responded, taking the lead back and holding onto it. Duckworth added five kills to put her total at eight at an efficiency of .500.
SET THREE
Engelbrecht commanded the set as the middle blocker began the set with three kills while combining with Duckworth for the block to go up 5-2. ISU notched its seventh ace of the match to then lead 9-4. Engelbrecht tallied another at .750 hitting to stretch the advantage to 14-7. BU followed to trim the lead and put the score at 22-18. Duckworth found double digits with the kill to put Iowa State at set point and nailed down another to seal the set 25-19 while holding Baylor to .111 hitting.
SET FOUR
ISU led the Bears at 4-3 while Mariah Mitchell delivered two kills and combined with Abby Greiman for the block. The Cyclones held the lead while Duckworth registered her 13th kill on a successful ISU challenge to go up 13-10. Greiman and Mitchell again put up the block, the eighth of the match, to stay ahead. Baylor and Iowa State matched each other nine times from there before BU pulled forward to match point at 24-22. Back-to-back kills by Holthaus fought it off twice, but Baylor took the match by a set score of 26-24.
NEXT UP
The Cyclones head to Lawrence for a Saturday match vs. Kansas. Iowa State returns home Wednesday, Nov. 23 for the final regular season match to host Oklahoma. Eight Cyclone seniors will be honored at the match.
