Gallery: (4-6-2021) Volleyball vs. OPSU 2
A "very gutty performance" by the Wayland Baptist volleyball team gave Coach
Jim Giacomazzi his 300
th win with the Pioneers and propelled the team into the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals.
Taking on Oklahoma-Panhandle State in the tourney's first round Tuesday night in Hutcherson Center, the Pioneers prevailed in five entertaining sets, 25-21, 28-26, 24-26, 19-25, 15-12.
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Bracket
The win moved third-seeded Wayland (17-7) into a semifinal match against No. 2 seed Texas Wesleyan (17-3) at 6 p.m. Friday at Oklahoma City University's Abe Lemons Arena. The Lady Rams rolled over Mid-America Christian on Tuesday in Fort Worth, 25-11, 25-15, 25-13.
"It's the first time we've done this (advanced out of the first round of the conference tourney) in four years. We've been in position the last few years but just couldn't get over the edge," said Giacomazzi, who is 300-170 in 14 seasons at WBU after winning his 400
th career match earlier this season.
"I'm happy the seniors will have a chance to experience (the conference final four) and keep alive our chance to qualify for nationals. It's exciting to go a step further than we have in the last four years."
It wasn't easy getting there, even though it appeared Wayland was cruising after winning the first two, 25-21 and 28-26. WBU trailed in the second set, 13-9, but went on a 13-2 run to gain control. OPSU (10-7) fought back to tie it at 24-all and even take a 26-25 lead, but the Pioneers won three straight points with a kill by
Amber Daniel, an errant OPSU set, and a clinching kill by
Jayla Schultz.
Wayland was on its way to closing out the match, up 10-4 in the third. But the Aggies appeared to gain inspiration when Eduarda Souza went out with a leg injury, and OPSU came storming from behind.
Much like the Pioneers closed out the second game after facing set-point, OPSU won three straight points to do the same in the third thanks to a kill and two WBU attack errors.
OPSU never trailed in the fourth. Wayland went on a late 5-1 run to close to within 21-19, but the Aggies put up four unanswered points to force a fifth.
"I knew we were in trouble when we started missing serves in the third set," said Giacomazzi, whose team overcame 11 service errors. "That was the most disappointing part of our game today. That was not very good."
What was very good was how the Pioneers gutted up in the fifth.
After a block by OPSU gave the Aggies a 1-0 lead, Wayland ran off four straight points – including kills by
Paxton Patterson and Daniel – to take the lead.
After OPSU scored three straight to tie it at 11, Wayland came out of a timeout and quickly put the match to bed. A kill by Daniel was followed by an Aggie attack error, an ace by
Tevia Bell, and, after a single sideout by OPSU, a kill by Daniel to end the match. Â
"The key was being able to get a little bit of a lead. Because we got that lead in the beginning it helped us seal the deal," Giacomazzi said. "We got some good, timely blocks that took momentum out of their sails and got us excited to score a couple of points in a row."
Giacomazzi mentioned Patterson shaking off a three-day illness and
Ariel Marquez coming back quicker than expected from an ankle injury.
"Paxton was in bed the last three days but did a super job (18 kills, .250 hitting percentage, four block-assists). And we didn't expect to see Ariel for another two weeks. She got to hit the floor quite a bit, and her being in there was something we really needed.
"Our passing today was relay good, Tevia and Amber, Jayda (Nelson) came off the bench, and Shykerra (Fanner) did nice jobs. We've been giving up 5-11 reception errors lately, but tonight we only had one. That helps a whole bunch. It gives the setters confidence and gives the hitters confidence."
After Patterson's 18 kills, Daniel and Schultz had 15 each and
Kellie Kozak 12. Daniel also ended with 23 digs, while
Lucie Mahelova and
Brenna Daniel got 14 each, Bell 12 and Schultz 10. Kozak continued her torrid blocking pace with two solo and nine block-assists, and Mahelova had seven assists, and
Alexa Hinojos five. WBU ended with a season-high 17 total blocks. Mahelova provide 60 assists.
OPSU got 20 kills apiece from Ana Pimenta and Essence West.
With a win Friday over Texas Wesleyan, the Pioneers may be able to secure a spot in the NAIA National Championships, if top-seeded Oklahoma City – which has also earned a nationals berth after winning the regular-season title – also advances to the finals. The Stars will take on No. 5 seed Southwestern Assemblies of God, which went to Arkansas and knocked off No. 4 John Brown in four.
"Texas Wesleyan is a solid team. They're well-coached and probably have the conference player of the year in Bailey Foy, as well as three good blockers," Giacomazzi said.
WBU is 0-2 against Texas Wesleyan this season, losing in the fall in Plainview in three then falling in four, 25-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-16, on March 19 in Fort Worth.
"Anybody at this point in the season can beat anyone," Giacomazzi said. "John Brown beat Texas Wesleyan last weekend, we beat John Brown, we went five with OCU…
"I hope we keep elevating our game. This is the time of year you want to shine."
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