No. 7 Baylor dug out of an early hole on Sunday and used a relentless second-half push to knock off Kansas State, 3-2, at Betty Lou Mays Field in Waco.
The Bears improved to 11-2-1 and stretched their home winning streak to six straight, while staying tied for second in the conference standings with West Virginia. Baylor trailed at halftime, but the game flipped after the break as the Bears piled on three goals in the final 24 minutes.
Kansas State got on the board first in the 35th minute when Adelle Francis finished off an assist from Alix Regier. Baylor’s defense kept the Wildcats from adding to that lead before halftime, sending the Bears into the break down 1-0.
The equalizer came in the 66th minute when Noelle Sather buried a free kick after a K-State handball just above the penalty box. It was Sather’s fourth goal of the season and her third since returning from playing for Canada at the U-20 World Cup.
Kansas State answered quickly. In the 71st minute, Francis scored again for her brace, once more with help from Regier, and Baylor was suddenly chasing again.
But the Bears responded right away. Freshman Grace White scored in the 74th minute off a pass from fellow freshman Brynnlee Bohannon. It was White’s fifth goal of the season and her first since scoring against Oral Roberts.
Three minutes later, Theresa McCullough delivered the winner in the 77th minute, finishing a setup from Sydney Miller. The goal was McCullough’s third of the season and her first since the SEC match at LSU, coming off Miller’s fifth assist of 2026.
Baylor finished with an 18-12 advantage in shots, including 14 in the second half, and forced Kansas State goalkeeper Maddie Sibbing into three saves after the break. Baylor keeper Azul Alvarez also made three saves.
Head coach Michelle Lenard said the Bears had to clean up their first-half mistakes and liked what she saw once her team settled in.
"In the first half, we just had a lot of self-destructive moments and put ourselves in bad situations. I was happy with our response in the second half.
We came out with some energy, and we were pressing them, creating some chances. Their resolve was there in the second half, their grit was there in the second half, and we had to fight back a couple of times, but it came from the heart."
She also pointed to the way Baylor kept pushing after Kansas State reclaimed the lead.
"These games don't get any easier. They just get harder every single week, and so we have to get better from this experience.
For them to not just get the tying goal, but to go out and continue to press, find the game-winning goal, it's just an example of how this team continues to grow. That resilience is going to be needed."
Baylor now turns to a two-game homestand against TCU on Friday, Oct. 15, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The matchup is part of the Bears' Blackout on the Brazos game. All home matches are free for fans and streamed live on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Baylor Volleyball Just Sent A Message Before Its Next Big 12 Test
Baylor took another step forward at the Ferrell Center with a clean 3-0 win over Arizona, a result that gave the Bears a little more traction heading into their next Big 12 test. The performance was sharp from start to finish, with Ksenia Rakhmanchik leading the way at the net and Baylor showing the kind of balance that has been missing at times this season.
Nadiya Johnson was a major part of that momentum, finishing with a season-best efficiency that fit the tone of the night. The victory also moved Baylor to 2-2 all-time against Arizona and 2-0 at home, while giving the Bears their first back-to-back Big 12 wins of the year, a useful sign that the group may be settling in at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Gets Its Next Big 12 Reality Check Against TCU
After both teams sat idle last week, Baylor heads into its October 17 trip to TCU with a chance to keep its early Big 12 momentum rolling. The Bears have started 5-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, a mark that has them positioned near the top of the conference as the schedule begins to tighten.
TCU has not had the same kind of start, sitting at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play, but rivalry games rarely care much about records. This one gives Baylor another chance to prove its opening run is more than a good stretch, while also navigating a venue where the Bears have already had their share of hard lessons. [Read more 🡒]