Box Score FORT WORTH – Texas Wesleyan threw a Halloween scare into Wayland Baptist's 25
th-ranked volleyball team here Saturday afternoon, but the Pioneers managed to pull out a 23-25, 25-12, 16-25, 25-18, 15-7 victory to maintain control of the Sooner Athletic Conference.
The Lady Rams (21-10 overall, 10-4 SAC) did Wayland a huge favor on Friday night by knocking off Oklahoma City University, the team with which the Pioneers were battling for first place. On Saturday, Texas Wesleyan looked to pull off another upset, but Wayland (25-7, 14-1) managed to get out of town without it happening.
But it wasn't easy.
After a close first set, the next four were relatively lopsided, including the fifth and final game. Wayland never trailed and it was tied only once at 1-1 before the Pioneers began taking control once and for all.
Holding a 4-3 lead, Wayland won the next three points, including two on kills by
Chelsey Driskill. The Pioneers went on to claim seven of the final nine points including the last two that featured back-to-back match-clinching kills by
Shahala Hawkins.
Wayland was a digging machine, ending with 113 with six Pioneers with at least 11.
Rossanna Ramos led the way with 18, followed by
Emily Welch with 17,
Tyler Gasaloga with 16,
Cat Wiechmann and
Machala Noack with 14 each, and
Mallorie Ellis with 11.
The Pioneers also shined at the net, rejecting 16 balls – three solo blocks and 13 block assists. Hawkins had a pair of solos and nine assists,
Katie Inman had six assists, Driskill one solo and three assists, and
Jessica Stohlmann four assists.
In the kills department, Hawkins wound up with 25 while hitting .404, Driskill got 15 and hit .318, and
Cindy Horn totaled nine while hitting .267. Wayland hit .228 compared to Wesleyan's .150.
Gasaloga dished out 28 assists and Welch 21.
Wayland now is one win away from repeating as SAC champions and earning the right to host all of its conference tournament matches. The Pioneers end the regular-season at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against St. Gregory's (7-15, 3-11). WBU downed St. Greg's on the road earlier this season, 25-7, 25-16, 25-21.
