No. 21 Baylor finished off a perfect weekend in Honolulu on Sunday, outlasting Georgia Southern 3-1 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to complete a 3-0 run through the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic.
The Bears did most of their damage with a season-best attacking performance, hitting .303 and putting down a season-high 60 kills. Baylor only let the third set slip away before regrouping and closing the match in four.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik and Nadiya Johnson led the charge with 31 combined kills, while Tori Davis added 10 for her first double-digit kill total of the season. Johnson finished with a season-high 12 kills and now has 41 points through three matches.
Rakhmanchik topped Baylor in kills for the third straight match and extended her double-digit kill streak to 12 in a row. Victoria Davis also reached a season-high with 10 kills, and Grace Carroll added nine kills while hitting .412.
The opening set was tight from the start. Georgia Southern stayed attached, tying it at 12 around the midpoint before both teams traded runs late. Baylor leaned on Rakhmanchik and Johnson to create separation, building a 22-18 lead and holding on for a 25-22 win.
The second set turned in Baylor’s favor after Georgia Southern pulled within 17-16. The Bears answered with a burst, finishing on a 9-1 run that featured four straight BU kills and an ace from Victoria Davis to take it 25-16 and move ahead 2-0 in the match.
Georgia Southern pushed back in the third. The teams exchanged points throughout the frame, and the Eagles grabbed control late with a 4-1 run before closing out a 25-23 win to force a fourth set.
Baylor responded quickly in the fourth after falling behind 2-0. The Bears found their sharpest offensive rhythm of the day, hitting .422 with 20 kills on 45 attacks. After another back-and-forth stretch, Georgia Southern trimmed the margin to 21-20, but Baylor answered with consecutive kills as part of a 4-1 closing run to seal the sweep of the event.
The Bears are 3-0 for the second time in the last three years and the third time in the McGuyre Era. Baylor’s .303 attack percentage was a season high, and the Bears are 93-2 under Ryan McGuyre when they hit .300 or better. The 20 kills in the fourth set were Baylor’s most in a set since the NCAA Tournament last season against Arkansas State.
Morgan Madison added a season-high 18 digs, and Baylor picked up its first-ever win over Georgia Southern, moving to 1-0 all-time in the series.
Baylor returns to the mainland for its home opener against UNT at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Ferrell Center. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available all season at BaylorBears.com/Stats.
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