Box Score SHAWNEE, Okla. – Advancing to the championship game of the Sooner Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament was sweet. Doing it at the expense of Lubbock Christian University made it even sweeter.
The Pioneers knocked off the rival Lady Chaparrals in their final SAC volleyball match, 25-17, 25-10, 20-25, 27-25, on Friday evening as Wayland moved on to the tournament championship at 7 p.m. Saturday. Wayland will play No. 10 Oklahoma Baptist (31-4), which defeated John Brown University in the other semifinal, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19.
The Pioneers (20-14) need to win the championship in order to advance to the NAIA National Tournament. Wayland fell in both of its previous matches with OBU, the first time in three before taking the Lady Bison to the brink in their most recent meeting last Saturday, 22-25, 25-15, 19-25, 25-23, 15-6.
Fans can follow Saturday night's showdown on the Internet by logging onto
www.wbuathletics.com. Live stats, audio streaming and video streaming will be available.
Against second-seeded LCU (23-9), Wayland, seeded third, controlled the first two sets before the Lady Chaps fought their way back in it in game three. The fourth set was a classic, with the Pioneers taking an early 5-1 lead. After LCU tied it at 5-all, it was close the rest of the way.
The lead went back and forth with a tip by WBU's
Shahala Hawkins tying it at 21. Wayland managed to score the next three points – off an LCU hitting error, an ace by
Natasha Giacomazzi and a kill by Hawkins – to reach match point, but the Lady Chaps hung tough.
LCU notched the next three points to tie it at 24-all. Wayland then went ahead by one, only to see the Lady Chaps fight off another match point. However, the Pioneers finally were able to secure the victory on back-to-back LCU errors.
WBU coach
Jim Giacomazzi praised his team's performance and said the Pioneers were able to take advantage of an off-night by LCU, which is moving to NCAA Division II next season.
“We did execute well and we followed our game plan, but I think LCU was a little nervous. Nobody on their team did really well,” Giacomazzi said. “I want to say we took them out of their game a little bit, but I think they didn't play well, too, and we were able to take advantage of it.
“That was the biggest (score) discrepancy we've had in a couple of years (with LCU).”
Junior setter
Natasha Giacomazzi turned in a solid effort with 38 assists, 17 digs and three aces. Freshman
Chelsey Driskill led WBU in hitting with a dozen kills and a .379 hitting percentage. Hawkins finished with 11 kills and five blocks (three solo), while
Claire Jacobsma had 13 kills and
Grecia Rivera nine kills and 21 digs. Libero
Jaharys Archilla contributed 18 digs and
Cat Wiechmann 10. Wayland ended with 10 blocks and hit .189 compared to LCU's eight blocks and .109.
“We did a good job blocking the first two sets and got to them,” Coach Giacomazzi said. “We've been working a lot on our blocking and on our serve receive. We still have to kick it up a notch offensively. We missed too many serves that fourth game. We don't want to give other teams an opportunity to beat us.”
LCU had beaten Wayland in both previous meetings this year, both times in four. The Lady Chaps lead the all-time series with Wayland, 51-10.
The Pioneers are back in the conference tournament finals for the second time in three years looking to make it to the national tournament for the first time.
“We don't to just win the conference tournament,” Giacomazzi said, “we want to move on.”
