Box Score Wayland volleyball coach
Jim Giacomazzi wanted to see passion and enthusiasm from his team, and the fans, on Friday night in Hutcherson Center. Eventually, he did.
"We could tell we didn't have much of that in the first two sets," Giacomazzi said. "But in the third set, after the girls talked about it in the locker room, they came out and showed a lot of energy, then the crowd got into the match and it was a lot more fun."
The No. 21 Pioneers' passion and enthusiasm, but mostly their superior talent, transformed into an overwhelming 25-12, 25-12, 25-13 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over winless Bacone College as Wayland improved to 12-3 on the season and 2-0 in the league.
"This was a match where statistics didn't matter. I'd rather us lose and learn to play with passion and enthusiasm and energy than put forth a very boring product," Giacomazzi said. "Finally we started having a lot more hugging, a lot more laughing…we even executed some plays better.
"That's what I expected to get out of that match."
Meanwhile, SAC newcomer Bacone returned to Muskogee, Okla., still in search of its first victory. The Lady Warriors managed just a .013 hitting percentage, getting only 17 kills compared to Wayland's 42 kills and .292.
"Of Bacone's first seven points, we were responsible for six of them due to our errors," Giacomazzi said. "It was similar in the second and third sets. We ended rallies not because of something we did but because of errors we produced."
Shahala Hawkins ended with 18 kills and hit .538, while fellow all-American
Chelsey Driskill had nine kills and hit .562. Hawkins also had a team-high three of Wayland's eight aces.
Cindy Horn led the way in digs with 10, while
Emily Welch dished out 17 assists and
Cat Wiechmann 16.
Wayland returns to the floor for an 11 a.m. match Saturday against John Brown University (10-4, 0-1). The Lady Eagles won nine straight before dropping three of their last four. Wayland will be the third straight ranked or Top 25 vote-receiving team JBU has faced, having already lost to No. 11 Evangel (Mo.), 25-11, 25-17, 25-17, and to Oklahoma City, ranked the equivalent of No. 32, 25-20, 25-8, 25-21.
Giacomazzi said the Pioneers have lots of incentive against the Lady Eagles, who knocked off Wayland last year in Siloam Springs, Ark., 25-16, 25-12, 17-25, 26-24.
"We went in a little lackadaisical and they took advantage of it. We had a target on our backs and they hit the bullseye," the coach said. "I don't let our girls forget that. They have to start coming out with more enthusiasm, passion and excitement. It will be a challenge to do that on a Saturday morning when typically we don't have as big a fan base. They have to generate that for themselves and improve as individuals.
"As they improve, so will the team."
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