Box Score
When it comes to volleyball, this isn't the same ol' Sooner Athletic Conference it's been in the past.
A day after holding off one of the best Southwestern Christian University teams to ever come to Plainview, Wayland Baptist wasn't as fortunate against St. Gregory's University as the Pioneers suffered a rare loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon in Hutcherson Center, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19, 25-21.
"This is the best St. Greg's team I have ever seen. (Head coach) Allison (Roberts) has put together a very good team this year," Wayland coach
Jim Giacomazzi said.
The result reversed the conference places for Wayland (12-7, 4-3 SAC) and St. Greg's (14-6, 5-3) with the Pioneers slipping to sixth behind the fifth-place Cavaliers. It was SGU's third win over Wayland in what was the teams' 34
th meeting.
"I believe our 'want-to' stayed in the locker room. Our passion and enthusiasm were there a little bit, but we were not consistent with our can-do attitude," Giacomazzi said.
After committing 17 service errors Friday night against SCU, WBU cleaned up its serving against St. Greg's and made just three.
"We did a much better job with our serving today. We focused and executed," said Giacomazzi, who also was "fairly pleased with our blocking (six blocks) and digging (80 digs). We still need to do a better job setting up our block and getting into the right position to dig."
The Pioneers were hurt by 29 hitting errors as the team hit at a .051 clip versus St. Greg's .152.
"(Gabby) Ware is a very good undersized athlete. It was difficult stopping her. She and her teammates did a good job blocking and playing very good defense," Giacomazzi said.
Ware finished with a match-high 15 kills while BreAnna Smoak ended with 13 kills and hit .417 while getting four of SGU's 10 blocks.
Megan Sharratt led Wayland with 12 kills while hitting .175, plus had four block-assists. Four Pioneers finished with double-digit digs:
Jordan Breding with 21,
Amber Daniel 16,
Sadie Staton 16 and
Elisabeth Piroli 13. SGU also had four players with double-figure digs as the Cavaliers finished with 98.
Elisabeth Piroli finished with 30 assists.
While disappointed with the loss, Giacomazzi was encouraged with his team's reaction afterwards.
"After the match I asked the team how they felt. Several expressed anger and frustration, saying, 'We are better than we played today,' and 'I can do better and I will do better.' I like to hear those things."
The Pioneers next head to Arkansas to take on fourth-place John Brown (16-5, 5-2), which on Saturday in Fort Worth lost to second-place Texas Wesleyan, 25-23, 25-22, 12-25, 25-22. Then on Saturday WBU travels to Muskogee, Okla., to take on last-place Bacone (6-12, 0-8).
