(This match was later forfeited by WBU).
OKLAHOMA CITY – Wayland Baptist avenged one of its two Sooner Athletic Conference losses, rolling past Mid-America Christian here Saturday afternoon, 25-15, 25-11, 25-16.
The win keeps Wayland (19-5, 12-2 SAC), ranked the equivalent of 28
th in the NAIA, atop the conference standings, tied with Texas Wesleyan (16-5, 12-2), ranked the equivalent of 36
th.
Against MACU (19-7, 10-4), the Pioneers were able to pay back the Lady Evangels for a heart-breaking 23-25, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-12 loss in Plainview on Sept. 10. The rematch wasn't close.
In the first set, Wayland trailed 13-12 before reeling off five straight points to kick off a 13-3, set-ending run as the Lady Evangels were victimized by a series of errors.
Seven unanswered points early in set No. 2 allowed the Pioneers to gain control. Then in set three, Wayland was down 5-1 but recorded eight straight points to once again take command.
A kill by
Amber Daniel ended the match. Daniel paced Wayland with 12 kills while hitting .391.
Wendy Cobbah added 10 smashes and hit .476. The Pioneers hit .340 as a team compared to .133 for MACU.
Ariel Marquez recorded 21 digs and a team-best three of Wayland's eight aces, while Cobbah had one solo and five block-assists.
With seven regular-season matches remaining, Wayland's 19 wins are the most for the program since the Pioneers went 24-16 in 2016.
Next for Wayland is a 7 p.m. match Tuesday in Goodwell, Okla., against Oklahoma-Panhandle State (16-9, 8-6), which swept Science & Arts of Oklahoma on Saturday, 25-19, 26-24, 25-19. WBU defeated OPSU in their first meeting in Plainview, 25-22, 25-18, 25-23.
