Box Score
"We took care of business this weekend," Wayland coach
Jim Giacomazzi said after the Wayland Baptist volleyball team pulled off a second Sooner Athletic Conference sweep in some 17 hours, this time upending Science and Arts of Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon in Hutcherson Center, 25-19, 25-14, 25-13.
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Much like Friday night's 25-14, 25-16, 25-16 conference-opening win over Mid-America Christian, Wayland (8-2, 2-0 SAC) was hardly challenged by MACU (1-5, 0-2), although the Drovers did put up a bit of a fight in the third set. The visitors from Chickasha were up 9-4 before WBU ran off 14 unanswered points. The run included three aces by
Elisabeth Piroli, kills by
Mallorie Ellis,
Kellie Kozak and
Amber Daniel, and seven attack errors by USAO.
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"You never know if you're going to win it. That's why you play the games," Giacomazzi said. "We got a lot of people play time this weekend."
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About the only hiccup was a late-match knee issue with Daniel.
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"Hopefully it's a minor thing," Giacomazzi said of the freshman's injury. "Amber has been really solid for us all year."
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So has senior
Megan Sharratt, who turned in another stellar performance with a season-high 15 kills on 20 swings with only one error for a .700 hitting percentage.
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"Megan had another nice match. She even got three digs. She's getting more of those as the season goes," Giacomazzi said.
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The coach also praised Ellis (12 digs, five kills). "She had a nice match. It's nice when she's running on all cylinders."
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Kozak also ended with five kills while hitting .250. "Kellie had a great day. She's getting her technique down and showing lots of improvement."
So, too, is senior
Jade Jones, the former Flying Queen standout who joined the volleyball team this season.
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"Jade had a couple of nice swings and good touches on the ball," Giacomazzi said. "She's a strong athlete, and as she gets more experience she'll be able to contribute more to help us have success."
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Piroli finished with 33 assists, eight digs, five aces and two block-assists. "Elisabeth had some good numbers," Giacomazzi said.
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Giacomazzi also complimented his team's serve-receive.
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"It's been very good the last two matches. I don't know if we're really good or the other teams didn't serve that hard at us."
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The Pioneers figure to face two tougher tests this week when they hit the road to face Texas Wesleyan at 7 p.m. Friday in Fort Worth then Southwestern Assemblies of God at 11 a.m. Saturday in Waxahachie. Texas Wesleyan (9-1), the only SAC team receiving Top 25 votes, ranked the equivalent of 32
nd, lost its first match in its conference debut to SAGU (10-2) at home earlier this week, falling 23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 27-25.
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"Those are two teams I respect a lot," Giacomazzi said. "They're well-coached and have nice athletes. Both expect to have good seasons."
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The matches start a stretch of six road games in seven outings, capped by a tournament Sept. 22 and 23 in Point Lookout, Mo.
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