Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WAXAHACHIE – The season got under way in promising fashion for the Wayland Baptist volleyball team as the Pioneers defeated St. Thomas, 25-18, 15-25, 25-20, 25-19 and Langston, Okla., 25-10, 25-11, 25-14 on the first day of the Red River/Sooner Crossover here.
WBU coach
Jim Giacomazzi was pleased overall with what he witnessed from his 19
th-ranked team.
"It was nice to see a lot of movement and adjustments being made," Giacomazzi said. "There was some frustration from the fact some girls didn't have the success they wanted, but our upperclassmen are stepping up and taking charge and creating our identity.
"The more we play, the more comfortable they will become with the person next to them."
Wayland's only hiccup on the day came in the second set against St. Thomas, a team Giacomazzi said is a competent opponent. The Pioneers then breezed to victory over Langston.
Against the Lions, Wayland hit .216 with 33 kills while holding Langston to -.159.
Shahala Hawkins ended with 18 kills and hit .625.
Cindy Horn added seven kills and
Chelsey Driskill and freshman
Mallorie Ellis three each.
Rossanna Ramos, a junior transfer in her first match for Wayland, recorded a team-high 13 digs, followed by
Cat Wiechmann with nine and Ellis with seven. Wayland had eight aces, including three each by
Emily Welch and Ramos, and two by Horn.
Statistics were not immediately available for the St. Thomas match.
Giacomazzi said he feels the Pioneers "have a lot of tools.
"One of the players I'm most pleased with is Rosanna, and Machala played with more confidence," the coach said after the morning match.
"This early in season our timing is going to be off, so it takes a little bit of time for passers to get into our system, and we're working on communication, especially with a couple of freshmen out there.
"The neat thing is we were able to take our first pre-test, and they did well. I'll give them a C-plus for today's effort. Hopefully as the tournament goes on we get sharper and more consistent."
Wayland returns to the court at 10 a.m. Saturday to take on Jarvis Christian, to be followed by what figures to be the team's toughest tournament test against Our Lady of the Lake at 2 p.m.
"We're trying to get everybody a little more playing time now so they get more comfortable as the matches get more important."
Tournament matches also are being hosted by Texas Wesleyan.
