Cincinnati Set to Battle Two Top 25 Opponents

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati volleyball team gears up for a Texas road swing, taking on two ranked opponents this weekend.
 
The Bearcats will face No. 22-ranked Baylor at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night in Waco, followed by No. 18-ranked TCU at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday in Fort Worth.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Cincinnati is coming off back-to-back losses at home, falling to Kansas State in five sets on Thursday and eighth-ranked Kansas in straight sets on Saturday. The Bearcats sit at 11-5 overall, 2-3 in the Big 12.
• Cincinnati will be facing its second and third ranked opponent in a row in No. 22-ranked Baylor and No. 18-ranked TCU. The Bearcats are looking for their first ranked win since Dec. 7, 2019, when they took down No. 2-ranked Pitt in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The Bearcats were without starting setter Katelyn Lefler versus Kansas. They went to a 6-2 rotation with setters Caroline Endres and Janelle Green. It marked the season debut for freshman Green.
• Freshman libero Faith Frame has recorded 10-or-more digs in eight straight matches, 12 overall, and her 4.12 digs per set rank sixth in the league. She is a two-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week selection.
• Junior Carly Glendinning has registered double-digit kills in 10 of her last 11 matches. She posted her fourth career 20-piece vs. Kansas State. She is averaging team highs in kills (3.72), points (4.33) and aces (0.30). She currently ranks fifth in the Big 12 and 87th nationally in kills per set. 
• Sophomore middle blocker Zeta Washington has made her return to the Bearcats' lineup. She is averaging 1.33 blocks and 1.75 kills in Big 12 play. She had seven kills at a .700 clip vs. Kansas.
• Lefler has recorded six double-doubles in her last seven matches, with a total of seven this season. She ranks seventh in the league and 55th nationally in assists per set (9.83). She has dished out 40 or more assists in five matches.
• Sophomore Sydney Nolan is second on the team in kills (2.89) and third in digs (2.55). She has posted double-digit kills 10 times and has led the team in the category on four occasions. She has five double-doubles on the season, including a stretch of three straight. She has posted 10-plus digs in seven matches.
• The Bearcats rank third in the Big 12 and 63rd nationally in blocks per set (2.46). They have totaled 140 this season. Their 15 blocks at Bowling Green continue to pace the league and rank eighth in the nation for a three-set match.
• Senior Abby Walker ranks eighth in the league in blocks per set (1.11) and 12th in hitting percentage (.353). She has led the team in blocking 11 times.
• Ligia Williams sits seventh in the conference in blocks per set (1.12). She posted seven blocks in just two sets played vs. Kansas State.
• The Bearcats are 11-0 when they outhit their opponent.
• Walker just 52 kills away from reaching 1,000 for her career.
• Head coach Molly Alvey is two wins away from 200 at Cincinnati.

 
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati split its season series with TCU last year in Fort Worth. The Bearcats earned a five-set win in the first meeting before falling in three sets the following night.
 
This will be the fifth meeting all-time between UC and Baylor. Cincinnati claimed the first-ever meeting in four sets back in 1988. The Bears have since won three straight in the series, including a sweep of the series in 2023.
 
A WIN WOULD...

• Give UC its first ranked win since Dec. 7, 2019
• Snap a 13-match losing streak to ranked opponents
• Tie UC's win total from a season ago (12), with 14 matches remaining