(Photos by Rapid Shotz Photography)
For the sixth time this season, Wayland Baptist's
Shahala Hawkins has been named Sooner Athletic Conference Attacker of the Week, this time after a courageous performance that helped the Pioneers to a win over 24
th-ranked Oklahoma City and to the top of the conference standings.
The 6-foot senior middle blocker from Denver City averaged 4.4 kills and hit .360 over an 11-game, three-match span that saw Wayland fall on the road to NCAA Division II West Texas A&M before sweeping Mid-America Christian and defeating OCU in five to improve to 23-6 on the season. Hawkins recorded 48 kills in 100 swings with only 12 errors, and recorded 12 block assists.
Against OCU, Hawkins turned in what Coach
Jim Giacomazzi called "the most courageous thing she's done in her career." Already playing with an injured knee, Hawkins hurt her ankle late in the first set but continued to play despite being in obvious pain.
"Knowing the pain she was in, I wasn't going to play her..., but she insisted she was OK. And Shahala at 80 percent is still pretty good," Giacomazzi said.
The three-time all-American inspired her teammates to step up their games.
"They did a good job rallying around Shahala and picking up the slack for her," he said.
Hawkins still ended with 19 kills, hit .410 and matched her season-high with seven block-assists.
Hawkins remains No. 2 in the NAIA in kills per game (4.9), No. 4 in hitting percentage (0.398), and No. 9 in total blocks (133).
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Wayland (23-6), ranked the equivalent of 34
th in the NAIA, heads to Lubbock Christian for a non-conference match at 7 p.m. Tuesday before staying on the road for SAC matches at Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie at 7 p.m. Friday and at Texas Wesleyan in Fort Worth at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Pioneers end the regular-season at home Nov. 5 against St. Gregory's.
The SAC Defender of the Week is Shaughnessy Hearn of Texas Wesleyan, while the Setter of the Week, fourth the fourth straight time, is Heather Watson of Oklahoma City.
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