Box Score DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The possibility of some mid-match conditioning apparently opened the eyes of the Wayland Baptist volleyball team in its final match of the weekend at the Embry-Riddle Labor Day Tournament.
Taking on the Bryan College Lions (Dayton, Tenn.) in their fourth and final match of the season-opening tournament, third-ranked Wayland wasn't playing well…at all.
"That was the worst set I've seen in a couple of years," Pioneer coach
Jim Giacomazzi said after Bryan won the opener, 25-17. "When I see something that ugly with that lack of effort, there is going to be consequences. We were about as low as we could go."
The Pioneer players knew they weren't playing well or doing as they were coached, and they felt that Giacomazzi might make good on a threat to call timeout and have them run to get their attention. As a result, the Pioneers picked up their play and won the next three sets, 25-22, 25-21, 25-18, to take the win and even their season record at 2-2.
"I asked the girls (why they started playing better), and they said, 'Because we knew you meant it when you said you might make us run during a timeout or between matches,'" Giacomazzi said with a chuckle. "Our serve receive got better and many of our mistakes were rectified. We did some things that we wanted to make adjustments with."
Wayland trailed early in both the second and third sets, but the Pioneers got it together and close both out for wins. Ashlyn Western quick-set
Shahala Hawkins for a kill to close out the second set, 25-22, and even the match, and an ace by
Cat Wiechmann capped the third set, 25-21.
With the Lions on the ropes, Wayland controlled the fourth set from the get-go. Back-to-back aces by
Cindy Horn helped the Pioneers build a 21-11 lead, and although Bryan tallied five straight points after that, Wayland got back on track via a Lions service error. Kills by Horn and Hawkins helped close it out, 25-18.
The loss dropped Bryan to 1-3.
Wayland was outhit in the match, 62-51 and .306 to .280. Hawkins' 25 kills (.346) and
Chelsey Driskill's 13 kills (.500) led the Pioneers.
"We need better distribution," Giacomazzi said. "Shahala's arm's going to fall off before we start conference, and that's not good.
Mercades Torres' 10 digs led the team, and
Rebekah Jones got one solo and three block assists. Horn wound up with four aces and Westerman had 42 assists.
"We need to dig more. That comes with more experience and having that dogged, defensive mindset," Giacomazzi said. "We also have to keep working with our outsides and improve with our blocking. We need to make it easier on our back row to pick some balls up."
After their first three matches all went five sets, this was Wayland's first match that didn't go the distance.
"It was quite the challenge," Giacomazzi said of the tourney. "I'm pleased with the efforts we made and the improvements we made. We have a lot of information for each individual to get better. The girls are now seeing the things I've been saying. Now they're coaching themselves.
"We're still young, and I'm biting my tongue a lot. But we will work some things out at practice just with lots of repetitions.
"It was a great weekend for us. I wish we could have won a few more points and we could have gotten out of here 4-0. But I think we're in a solid position right now."
The Pioneers next head to Hastings, Neb., for the Five Points Invitational, opening play at 1 p.m. Friday against No. 21 Embry-Riddle. WBU also will face Montana Western, No. 7 Midland, Neb., and host Hastings, Neb., ranked the equivalent of 27
th.
"It will be another good test," Giacomazzi said. "These matches against solid teams are making us a lot tougher.
