Volleyballers must be road warriors

For the first time in several years, the Sooner Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament isn't running through Plainview. That's because Wayland Baptist is uncharacteristically seeded in the lower-half of the draw, and because the higher-seeded team hosts first-round tournament matches, the Pioneers find themselves on the road for their opener.

That opener will be played at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Siloam Springs, Ark., against John Brown University. The Golden Eagles (25-6, 13-3 SAC) tied for third place with Texas Wesleyan in the league standings but wound up with the No. 4 seed. Wayland (17-11, 9-7) is the No. 5 seed.

Tuesday's winner advances with three other teams in the eight-team, single-elimination tournament to Oklahoma City University's Abe Lemons Arena for Friday's semifinals and Saturday's finals. OCU earned the right to host the final two rounds by winning last year's tournament.

The Stars (20-6, 15-1) secured the SAC's first spot in the 44-team NAIA Women's Volleyball Championship by virtue of claiming the regular-season crown. (OCU tied with Southwestern Assemblies of God (25-5, 15-1) for first but won the head-to-head results tie-breaker.)

The SAC's second automatic national championship berth will go to the conference tournament winner. If OCU wins the tournament, the second berth will be awarded to the tournament runner-up.

Wayland will be looking to avenge a five-set, regular-season loss to John Brown in Arkansas on Oct. 6, 25-14, 16-25, 25-21, 17-25, 15-11. At the time WBU coach Jim Giacomazzi called the loss "frustrating.

"For us to travel this far and get that close but walk away without a victory, it's really frustrating. We did a lot of good things. I'm semi-pleased with how we played, but ultimately our own mistakes ended up costing us."

Wayland led 6-2 in the deciding fifth set before the Golden Eagles rallied to tie it at 6-all. It went back-and-forth with the Pioneers leading 9-8 when John Brown ran off six straight points on the strength of three kills, two blocks and a WBU hitting error. The Pioneers fought off two match points before a JBU kill ended it.

"It was a knockdown, drag-out in that last set," Giacomazzi said. "It was a fun match. We were there, ready to take the victory. Unfortunately, we shot ourselves in the foot and mistakes on our side of the net got us beat. John Brown did a good job when they had to, but we had too much nervousness and made too many poor choices."

Giacomazzi was especially frustrated with the outcome in the third set when Wayland led 18-12. But JBU came storming back and went on a game-ending 13-3 run.

"I feel like we should have won, but we didn't stay focused long enough and at times didn't get out of rotation soon enough. It's one of those things we have to work on," Giacomazzi said.

The coach figures John Brown will have another good crowd on hand Tuesday as it did for the earlier matchup.

The WBU-JBU winner will likely meet top-seeded Oklahoma City (20-6, 15-1), which on Tuesday hosts No. 8 seed Mid-America Christian (10-15, 6-10). With a win Tuesday the Pioneers would play at 7 p.m. Friday. The championship is at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Second-seeded SAGU (25-5, 15-1) enters the tournament as the league's hottest team, having closed the regular season with nine straight victories. The Lions will host seventh-seeded St. Gregory's (17-12, 7-9) as part of Tuesday's quarterfinal action.

In Tuesday's other match, No. 3 seed Texas Wesleyan (24-3), 13-3), boasting a league-best .889 winning percentage, hosts No. 6 seed Southwestern Christian (16-10, 8-8). The Lady Rams took the third seed over John Brown via tiebreaker, having beaten the Golden Eagles 3-1 on Sept. 30 in the teams' only meeting.

2017 SAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Tuesday, Nov. 7

No. 6 SW Christian (16-10, 8-8) at No. 3 Texas Wesleyan (24-3, 13-3)

No. 7 St. Gregory's (17-12, 7-9) at No. 2 SW Assemblies of God (25-5, 15-1)

No. 8 Mid-America Christian (10-15, 6-10) at No. 1 Oklahoma City (20-6, 15-1)

No. 5 Wayland Baptist (17-11, 9-7) at No. 4 John Brown (25-6, 13-3), 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10

SCU/TWU winner vs. SGU/SAGU winner, 4:30 p.m.

MACU/OCU winner vs. WBU/JBU winner, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11

Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.