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OKLAHOMA CITY – The banged-up Wayland Baptist volleyball team did all it could against Oklahoma City University here Saturday afternoon, but the 24
th-ranked Stars were too much for the Pioneers as the Sooner Athletic Conference leaders came away with a 25-12, 25-19, 25-20 victory.
"Given all of our setbacks, we played pretty hard and never gave up," WBU graduate assistant coach
Megan Sharratt said.
Wayland went into the match – which closed out the first round of SAC play – with only eight available players, as two of its top hitters,
Amber Daniel and
Tatijana Markic, are both out with injuries. As a result, defensive specialists
Brenna Daniel and
Ariel Marquez were forced into new positions.
"Brenna and Ariel had to go from the back row to becoming starting outside hitters this afternoon. They both came into their new roles well," Sharratt said.
Wayland ended with 25 kills, compared to 45 for OCU, and hit .151 versus .264 for the Stars.
Kellie Kozak paced the Pioneers with a dozen kills while hitting .235, while
Sadie Hall hit .444 (her highest percentage in the past two seasons) with five kills.
"As one of our only actual hitters playing front row, Kellie did what we needed her to," Sharratt said. "Also moving to a new position this season, Sadie hit .444."
Wayland got 15 digs from
Jordan Breding, which Sharratt said "helped keep us in the match."
Renzelle Horner dished out 22 assists.
Wayland's fourth straight loss dropped the Pioneers to 9-13 on the season and 4-6 in the SAC for seventh place. The Pioneers will try to get back on track when they visit Chickasha, Okla., to take on USAO at 7 p.m. Wednesday. WBU defeated the Drovers (1-13, 1-9) in their first meeting in Plainview, 25-7, 25-11, 25-6.
