Pioneers pick up win in Arkansas

(This match was later forfeited by WBU).

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – It took a set to find their feet, but the Wayland Baptist volleyball team finally did and secured its fourth straight win by defeating John Brown University in Sooner Athletic Conference play Friday evening in Bill George Arena, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23.
 
"This is a hard trip. It's always been tough," said Wayland coach Jim Giacomazzi, who said the Pioneers "hung out in the hotel lobby" all afternoon waiting for the match.
 
All that waiting might have made for the team's slow start, which helped John Brown win what Giacomazzi called an "ugly" first set.
 
"Both teams were making a lot of mistakes. That first set was ugly for both teams," he said. "It was very disappointing."
 
The Pioneers snapped out of their funk after falling behind 6-2 in the second. Wayland went on an 8-2 run to take the lead, gained separation with a 5-1 spurt, then closed it out on a 4-1 run.
 
"We tried to keep our wits about us and make some little adjustments, and we turned it around a little bit," Giacomazzi said. "We hit almost .400 in the second set."
 
Playing for the first time on the road after an eight-match hometand, the Pioneers produced a match-high 19 kills in the third set, which saw them use an 8-1 run to assume a 20-15 lead only to have the Golden Eagles score five unanswered to tie it at 21-all. WBU scored four of the next five points on kills by Lucie Mahelova, Tatijana Markic, Jayla Schultz and Alexa Hinojos.
 
"It was a very contested match. (JBU) never once gave up. We were fortunate enough to make fewer mistakes in the second, third and fourth sets," Giacomazzi said. "Limiting our errors really helped a whole lot. I was pleased with that. We're really growing up that way."
 
Four Pioneers posted double-digit kills, led by Paxton Patterson with 16 (.343) and Amber Daniel with 14 (.250). Markic added 13 (.300) and Shultz 12 (.333). Wayland hit .255, compared to JBU's .187.
 
"Paxton really was a spark many times. She had kills at key times. And Jayla had a very good night, too," Giacomazzi said.
 
Schultz provided five blocks (two solo), while Daniel had four. Ariel Marquez recorded 14 digs while Jayda Nelson and Mahelova, who logged 49 assists, got 13 each.
 
It was the second straight win for Wayland over John Brown after the Golden Eagles won the previous seven outings. The Pioneers tightened the all-time series, 29-31.
 
The win kept Wayland (12-4, 5-1 SAC) in second place in the conference standings, behind Southwestern Assemblies of God University (11-3, 5-0). JBU fell to 7-9, 2-3.
 
Wayland next plays back at home against SAGU, ranked the equivalent of 37th in the NAIA, at 7 p.m. Friday, with the winner taking over the league lead. The Pioneers have another tough opponent next weekend, Texas Wesleyan (7-4, 4-1), which is ranked the equivalent of No. 29, at 11 a.m. Saturday.