Giacomazzi gains 400th win as Pioneers sweep doubleheader vs. Southwest

Playing their first match in three weeks and first home match in almost four months, the Wayland Baptist volleyball team had its way with University of the Southwest on Friday afternoon in Hutcherson Center, sweeping an unusual doubleheader and presenting coach Jim Giacomazzi his 400^th career victory.

Wayland won the first match in four, 25-14, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20, before taking match No. 2 in straight sets, 25-19, 25-14, 25-14. The victories represent the sixth-and seventh-straight for the Pioneers (7-3), the team's longest win streak in more than four years.

Wayland was scheduled to play both USW and Lubbock Christian on Friday, but LCU backed out of the triangular earlier in the week, leaving the Pioneers and Lady Mustangs to play two against each other.

Then on Friday morning, as bitter cold brought about questionable road conditions, the matches were moved ahead to allow USW a more favorable travel timeframe leaving Plainview.

When it was all said and done, the Pioneers had little trouble dispatching the Lady Mustangs, who were playing their first matches of the season after shutting down the entire fall semester.

"We got a lot of people got court time, which was good because we haven't played enough to figure out a starting lineup and who is going to be the best combination on the floor to make us look good," Giacomazzi said.

Freshman Jayla Schultz looked particularly good, leading Wayland in hitting in both outings Friday. She logged 11 kills and hit .286 in the opener then got nine smashes while hitting .471 in the second match.

"Jayla looks really good on the outside and had some great swings in the middle. She also had a lot of good quality blocks," Giacomazzi said.

Tatijana Markic added nine kills in the first match when Amber Daniel got seven and Kellie Kozak six. Two different Pioneers joined Schultz as kill leaders in the second match with Alexa Hinojos and Lucie Mahelova getting six apiece.

Markic recorded three of Wayland's eight block-assists in match 1.

"The first two sets of the first match we had some great numbers," Giacomazzi said.

Daniel led the Pioneers in digs both outings, getting 11 alongside Tevia Bell in the opener before throwing on the libero top and registering 14 in the nightcap. Mahelova added 10 digs and Markic eight in the second match.

Mahelova and Cauane Krainski shared the assist lead. Mahelova ended with 17 and 12 while Krainski got 11 and 16.

The Pioneers logged nine aces in each match. Seven different players contributed aces in the opener while Shykerra Fanner led in the second match with four aces.

"Our right-side block, Paxton (Patterson) and Lucie, got better," Giacomazzi said. "Our blocking, digging and serve-receive all got better as the day went on.

"We just need to figure out what's going to get us through the rotation the most efficiently and what's going to score us the most points."

Wayland's seven straight wins are the program's longest streak since winning nine in a row during the middle of the 2016 season.

Of his 400 wins over a 20-year coaching career, with 290 victories coming over the last 14 years at Wayland, Giacomazzi deflected credit.

"Surrounding yourself with really good players makes achieving a number like that possible," he said. "It's really about quality players. Coaches have a little to do with it, but the better the players the better the coach looks."

Wayland now begins a stretch of four straight road matches as Sooner Athletic Conference play begins. The Pioneers are at Langston and Central Christian on Feb. 26 and 27 followed the next week with matches at USAO and Oklahoma City University. WBU next plays at home March 11 against Oklahoma-Panhandle State.