FT. WORTH, Texas --- After winning three straight at the Wesleyan Hughes Classic held on the campus of Texas Wesleyan University on Friday and Saturday, the Wayland Baptist volleyball team improved its overall record to 10-4.
After Friday night's five-set victory over Texas Wesleyan, Pioneer Head Coach Jim Giacomazzi described the match as "ugly." The fifth-year coach only thought he had seen ugly. On Saturday in the first set of their match against the University of St. Thomas, the WBU women showed their coach what ugly really looks like.
The Pioneers lost that opening set to the school from Houston by a score of 25-7. Giacomazzi's squad gave UST 15 points on errors, and scored only two points of their own – on two kills. WBU had an attack percentage of -.333 with 12 errors in the opening set.
"We just weren't ready to start. It has been happening consistently lately, and we've got to change that. I hate to use the phrase 'work in progress,' but that's what this team is right now."
After the horrendous start, the Wayland women came back to win the next three sets, 25-23, 25-17, 25-14. They committed just nine attack errors in those final three sets and put down 40 kills.
Freshman Ashley Duff and senior Tatiana Gonzalez combined for 29 of those kills. Gonzalez added 16 digs to go with her 14 kills, and both Duff and Gonazalez recorded two blocks each.
Natasha Giacomazzi, a sophomore transfer from New Mexico State University, posted her team-leading eighth double-double of the season with 35 assists and a career-high 23 digs. The 5'5 setter also helped out on three blocks.
Alissa Mitchell tallied 14 digs, Kimberli Harger got 11, and Whitney Bryant had ten against the Lady Celts, who fell to 6-5 on the season.
Wayland returns home for the first time in three weeks for a Tuesday evening match against the University of the Southwest at 7 p.m.
