Box Score It's been more than three years since the Wayland Baptist volleyball team has lost three matches in a row, and thanks to a come-from-behind performance on Friday night in Hutcherson Center, the streak continues.
Facing Texas Wesleyan in Sooner Athletic Conference play, Wayland dropped the first set but came roaring back to take down the Lady Rams, 22-25, 25-9, 25-22, 25-18.
Wayland (15-5 overall, 5-1 SAC), the equivalent of 27
th in the NAIA Top 25, got a well-rounded effort with three Pioneers reaching double-digit kills, led by
Shahala Hawkins with 13 and followed by
Chelsey Driskill with 12 and
Cindy Horn with 10. Driskill's .303 hitting percentage led the team, which as a whole hit .206. Texas Wesleyan (14-9, 3-3) hit just .070.
The Pioneers also spread the stats in digs, where they were led by
Emily Welch with 21.
Rossanna Ramos added 15, Hawkins 12 and
Tyler Gasaloga and
Mallorie Ellis 10 each. Welch, who returned after missing most of the last three outings with illness, handed out 24 assists, with Gasaloga getting 16.
WBU also held a big advantage in blocks, getting one solo stop by Horn and six block-assists, including a team-high four by
Jessica Stohlmann. Texas Wesleyan recorded only one block assist. Horn and Welch had two aces apiece.
After dropping the first set, the Pioneers found their groove. The second set was tied 4-4 before Wayland ran off five straight points and never looked back.
Texas Wesleyan regained control in the third set, which the Lady Rams led 20-17. But thanks to four attack errors by Wesleyan and an ace by Welch, Wayland picked up five straight points to realize its first lead of the set. The Pioneers polished it off with a kill by Hawkins and a Wesleyan ball-handling error.
The fourth and final set also saw another big Wayland run. With Wesleyan leading 5-4, the Pioneers – with Hawkins serving – ran off eight straight. While Wesleyan again shot itself in the foot with a handful of attack errors, the Pioneers helped out with kills by Hawkins, Ellis, Driskill and Stohlmann.
The Lady Rams pulled to within a point at 14-13 and were still hanging around at 19-17, but Wayland won six of the last seven points to put it away. The final push featured two kills by Driskill and one each by Ellis and Stohlmann.
Wayland returns to the Hutch for an 11 a.m. match Saturday against Southwestern Assemblies of God (). The Pioneers might have revenge on their minds after the Lady Lions came to Plainview last season and won in five, before the Pioneers returned the favor in Waxahachie with a sweep.
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