Volleyballers enjoy Saturday sweep

(These matches were later forfeited by WBU).

After a heart-breaking, five-set loss to start the weekend, the Wayland Baptist volleyball team ended it with a Saturday sweep, taking down Science & Arts of Oklahoma, 25-19, 25-9, 25-19, and University of the Southwest, 25-18, 25-14, 25-157.
 
Against S&A (6-5, 0-4 Sooner Athletic Conference), Wayland got 14 kills and a .346 hitting percentage from Tatijana Markic, with Jayda Schultz added 10 kills and hitting .368. Wayland recorded 10 aces, four by Lucie Mahelova who also had eight digs. Ariel Marquez led the Pioneers with 11 digs. Alexa Hinojos, Schultz and Paxton Patterson ended with three block-assists each.
 
Against Southwest (2-8) in non-conference action, which defeated Science & Arts before meeting Wayland, 25-19, 25-16, 30-28, Patterson paced WBU with 10 kills and a .476 hitting percentage, while Hinojos had eight smashes and hit .353 to go with four block-assists. "Paxton has been tearing it up lately," WBU coach Jim Giacomazzi said.
 
Marquez came up with 15 digs while Amber Daniel had 10. Markic had another solid serving performance with four aces.
 
"We got a lot of people playing time, that's the main thing we wanted," Giacomazzi said. "Both setters (Mahelova and Elizabeth Wirth) got some touches, which Elizabeth needed."
 
It was the second win of the season over the Lady Mustangs. WBU won in Hobbs, N.M., on Sept. 1, 25-15, 25-20, 25-13.
 
Wayland winds up an eight-match home stand at 7 p.m. Tuesday against SAC-leading Oklahoma-Panhandle State (10-3, 4-0 SAC). The Aggies defeated S&A in three on Friday then took down Mid-America Christian in five on Saturday. Like Wayland did in falling to MACU on Friday, the Evangels won the first two against OPSU before dropping three straight.
 
"OPSU has never been in this position before where they're first in the conference, even if it is early," said Giacomazzi, who said a strong home crowd will be important on Tuesday. "It's good to be in a position where we are. We just need to put some good mental work in and get comfortable with making good game decisions under stress."