Pioneers overcome errors, fend off SCU

Box Score Southwestern Christian put up a fight, but the Wayland Baptist volleyball team battled and was able to fend off the Eagles in Sooner Athletic Conference play Friday night in Hutcherson Center, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-23.
 
"They found a way to win. I don't want to take that away from them," Wayland coach Jim Giacomazzi said. "But we have to clean up what we do on our side of the net."
 
Wayland (12-6, 4-2 SAC) got 20 kills from Megan Sharratt and was able to overcome 17 service errors, which Giacomazzi called "pathetic.
 
"I was disappointed with all of the service errors. We had three people with three missed serves. It was absolutely ridiculous."
 
On the other hand, the Pioneers put up a strong block against the Eagles (10-4, 3-3), ending with two solo and 12 block-assists.
 
"I was very pleased with the blocking. In the first three sets we had eight blocks. That changed the way they did things because we blocked one of their best players (Aliya Higginbotham). She's a big banger for them. It was good for us to go against someone who hits hard so we can work on our block technique."
 
Wayland, seeing its first action since last weekend's tournament in Missouri, cruised in the first set, 25-18.
 
"I was hoping the first set would be an indication of what we did the whole match. All I did was clap my hands and cheer," Giacomazzi said.
 
But the Pioneers couldn't maintain it.
 
"It's like we went from the penthouse to the outhouse," the coach said. "As many things as we could have done wrong, we did. That was a little bit disappointing."
 
Still, the Pioneers found a way.
 
After losing an 11-5 lead and dropping the second set, 26-24, when SCU ended on a 7-2 run, Wayland came out after halftime and got off to a slow start before slowly getting it together. It was tied at 11 when the Pioneers notched five unanswered points, including a kill by Jade Jones, an ace by Jordan Breding and three SCU errors.
 
The Eagles closed the gap but back-to-back kills by Amber Daniel and Sharratt closed out the set, 25-21.
 
Wayland again found itself down in the fourth, by as many as four points early on. But once again the Pioneers chipped away until finally gaining control. They took their first lead, 19-18, on a kill by Daniel, then another by Daniel and one by Ellis put Wayland within two points. They came on kills by Sharratt and Kellie Kozak to close the match, 25-23.
 
"Tonight's match was typical. Whoever makes the least amount of mistakes will win," Giacomazzi said.
 
While Wayland hit .209, the Eagles finished at .070.
 
Sharratt hit .310 to accompany her 20 kills plus got three block-assists and three of WBU's seven aces.
 
"They were triple-blocking Megan, but she still found a way to score points and had a pretty good night," Giacomazzi said.
 
Ellis finished with 11 kills and 11 digs, Daniel eight kills and 10 digs, and Jones seven kills. Breding dug 11 balls, and Elisabeth Piroli served 44 assists.
 
Giacomazzi credited SCU for giving the Pioneers a fight.
 
"This is probably one of the best teams they've had. They went toe-to-toe with John Brown. They're much improved," he said.
 
So, too, is St. Gregory's, the team Wayland hosts at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Cavaliers (12-6, 3-3), who on Friday topped Oklahoma Panhandle State on the road in five, are a half-game behind Wayland in the conference standings.
 
"They're better this year," Giacomazzi said of SGU. "We just have to clean up what we do on our side of the net and we should be fine."