(This match was later forfeited by WBU).
OKLAHOMA CITY – Wayland Baptist advanced to the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship for the first time in five years, defeating top-seeded Texas Wesleyan in a five-set semifinal Friday afternoon at Abe Lemons Arena.
Behind season-best offensive showings by Jayla Shultz and Wendy Cobbah, and an impressive performance by Tatijana Markic, fourth-seeded Wayland (23-10) defeated the Rams (24-6), ranked the equivalent of 28th in the NAIA, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9.
"It was a lot of fun. OK, it wasn't fun. I was stressed the whole time. But it was fun at the end after we won," Wayland coach Jim Giacomazzi said. "It was quite the challenge."
Schultz came through with season-highs of 20 kills and a .500 hitting percentage, while Cobbah got a season-best 19 kills and hit .425. Each bettered their previous best mark this season by six kills, while Markic added 15 kills.
"It was an amazing offensive night for us. Every set was over .300," Giacomazzi said.
Wayland ended with 68 kills and hit .316 compared to 80 and .281 for Texas Wesleyan, which got 22 smashes from Veronika Webb and 20 from Nyia Anderson. SAC Attacker of the Year Bailey Foy was limited to 10 kills on 28 swings.
"Webb was incredible tonight, but we were able to hold (Foy) down a bit," Giacomazzi said.
SAC Setter of the Year Lucie Mahelova provided 61 assists – matching her season-high – and got three of WBU's seven aces, six more than the Rams. Ariel Marquez dug 27 balls, Jayda Nelson 13 and Tevia Bell 11, and Cobbah put down four blocks in Wayland's well-rounded effort.
"We passed really well tonight; that was pleasing. We were able to take advantage of some serve locations."
After dropping the second and third sets, the Pioneers were in jeopardy of going home, trailing 19-17 in the fourth. But Wayland ripped off six straight points – including a pair of kills by Cobbah and an ace by Marquez. Schultz provided the final two points on kills.
"Wendy came up with some timely blocks in the fourth," Giacomazzi said.
In the fifth, Wayland controlled things pretty well from the beginning. A handful of errors by the Rams plus kills by Markic, Schultz and Cobbah put the Pioneers up 12-5. Two kills by Markic and another by Schultz finished it.
Schultz capped all three set wins for Wayland with kills, after a Schultz kill finished off the Pioneers' quarterfinal win Tuesday over Mid-America Christian.
The win gave the Pioneers a 2-1 nod in the season series with TXWES. Wayland previously won at home in four before falling in Fort Worth in five. The Lady Rams clinched a berth in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round after winning the SAC regular-season crown.
"It was a good team effort. That's what we are, a team. We have no superstars, just a lot of people who rely on their teammates to make things happen."
The Pioneers advance to Saturday's 1 p.m. final against third-seeded Southwestern Assemblies of God (25-8), ranked the equivalent of 37th in the NAIA, after the Lady Lions eliminated No. 7 seed John Brown (16-18), 22-25, 25-17, 25-15, 25-20. It will be SAGU's first appearance in a SAC Tourney final after four straight semifinal showings.
SAGU's Alexis Mealer collected 20 kills, while Tessa Glick piled up 30 digs for the Lady Lions (25-8). Riley Burcham compiled 41 assists.
,Wayland split with SAGU during the regular-season, wining at home in three on Sept. 24, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21, before falling in three in Waxahachie on Oct. 30, 25-22, 25-11, 25-23.
The last time Wayland advanced to the conference tourney final was 2016 when the Pioneers capped a run of three straight SAC Tourney championships. WBU won in 2014 and '15, lost in '16.
Tickets to the conference title tilt must be purchased online.
Saturday's winner earns an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships.
