SAC first half ends with dominating win for Pioneers

Box Score
The first half of Sooner Athletic Conference volleyball play came to a close on Saturday for Wayland Baptist, and the No. 20 Pioneers were as dominating as ever. Wayland rolled to another 3-0 victory at Hutcherson Center, this time taking out John Brown University, 25-21, 25-6, 25-11.

The six points allowed in the second set marked Wayland's most-lopsided of the season as the Pioneers (21-3, 7-1 SAC) won their fifth straight match and posted their 10^th straight sweep.

"That's probably the best start we've ever had in the SAC," Wayland coach Jim Giacomazzi said. "We control our own destiny, so that's about all we can ask.

"We need to continue taking care of business," he added. "Every time we play we want to increase our discipline and maintain our focus longer each set. We need to stay intense until the job's done."

The Pioneers appeared focused against JBU (10-15, 4-4), which after mostly keeping up with Wayland in the first set had a tough time hanging close.

WBU had another solid statistical match against the Golden Eagles, hitting .338, collecting 12 blocks and tallying 45 digs. The Pioneers spread the hitting wealth with no one garnering more than eight of the team's 34 total. Claire Jacobsma led the way and had no errors for a .444 hitting percentage. Grecia Rivera added seven, Chelsey Driskill six (.556) and Shahala Hawkins five.

"We've been working on our timing with our quicks, and I was pleased to see that getting better," Giacomazzi said. "They're starting to get in the air before the setter touches the ball. We'll keep trying to improve on that."
On the blocking front, Hawkins walled one solo and five assists, Rivera had one solo and three assists, and Driskill ended with four assists. Rivera posted a team-high 13 digs while Mercades Torres added 10.
 
"We've been working really hard on our block technique, and today was the first day I saw evidence of quality block technique," Giacomazzi said. "That was really exciting to see. Balls were getting blocked down instead of deep into the court."

The coach also had high praise for the team's set distribution, minimal reception errors and serve locations.
"We've been having quality serves, but a lot of times it's to the wrong zone. We did much better at hitting our zones."

He called Wayland's sideout percentage of 80 "phenomenal."

The Pioneers take a bit of a break from conference play early next week, traveling to Odessa to take on a pair of NCAA Division II schools in 10^th-ranked Angelo State (11-3) at 3 p.m. followed by Texas-Permian Basin at 5. Wayland defeated UTPB on Oct. 2 in Plainview, 25-23, 25-16, 25-12.

Wayland returns to SAC action next weekend back at The Hutch, hosting Oklahoma City at 7 p.m. Friday and Mid-America Christian at 11 a.m. Saturday.