Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY – Things continued falling into place for the Wayland Baptist volleyball team here Saturday morning as the Pioneers rolled to a 25-20, 25-15, 25-15 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Mid-America Christian.
"Overall, our blocking was better and with our defense we're starting to understand what positions we're supposed to be in," Pioneers coach
Jim Giacomazzi said.
The win improved Wayland to 11-7 overall and 4-0 in the conference and extended the team's season-best win streak to five, including four straight three-set sweeps.
Alex Wood,
Mallorie Ellis and
Megan Sharratt recorded 12, 10 and nine kills, respectively, as the Pioneers posted 38 kills while hitting .255. Wood hit .360, Sharratt .316 and Ellis .194. MACU ended with 27 kills and hit .074.
Wayland had seven blocks, including for block-assists each for Sharratt and Wood.
Rossanna Ramos contributed 11 digs, Ellis 10 and Wood five.
"I was very pleased with Mallorie working on her defense. She had 10 kills but also 10 digs and did a very good job limiting her errors," Giacomazzi said. "Alex had 12 kills, five digs and a couple of service aces that scored us 16 points."
Elisabeth Piroli had three aces while
Riyana Rakrouki got a pair. Piroli also had 23 assists, while Rakrouki got 12.
Giacomazzi pointed out the Poineers' serve receive percentage of 70 percent.
"In the last set we were 12-out-of-15 serves where we won the sideout, so that was very good," he said. "I thought our serve receive was great both matches this weekend. Part of that is we're getting better and more confident and starting to feel more comfortable with the person to our right and our left. The other part is the quality of the other teams' serve wasn't always the best.
"But the girls are executing and doing what they need to do."
Wayland now is tied atop the SAC standing with No. 18 Oklahoma City (13-3, 4-0), which handed John Brown (11-5, 3-1) its first league loss on Saturday in OKC, 25-14, 25-15, 19-25, 25-14.
Wayland wraps up the first-half of league play on the road against OCU on Oct. 7. The Pioneers have four matches before that, all at home, starting with Tuesday's 7 p.m. contest against Science and Arts of Oklahoma (0-6, 0-4).
"I'm pleased with what we're doing and the progress we're making," Giacomazzi said. "I'm looking forward t our next match on Tuesday."
