Box Score SURPRISE, Ariz. – Wayland Baptist showed tremendous fight in its season-opener against Ottawa (Ariz.) as the Pioneers fell to the 17
th-ranked Spirit in four in the opening action of the Ottawa Invitational here Thursday evening, 25-15, 23-25, 25-15, 29-27.
The Pioneers came close to forcing a fifth set. Down 24-21, Wayland fought off four match points and even took a 26-25 lead. But the Spirit (2-0) scored two straight points for another match point. The Pioneers erased that one before Ottawa closed it out with a kill followed by an ace.
"Overall it was a good evening. I was disappointed with the loss, as one could imagine, but this is a young team and I was pleased with the effort and the hard work," WBU coach
Jim Giacomazzi said. "I think we are going to be pretty good."
Wayland hit .125 compared to .240 for Ottawa.
Alexa Hinojos led WBU hitters with nine kills while hitting .261, plus got four block-assists. Newcomer
Maria Eduarda Motta matched Hinojos' nine kills while first-year Pioneers
Fade Ogunbade and
Samantha Ingram added six each.
Brenna Daniel and Ingram paced the Pioneers with 15 digs apiece, followed by
Elizabeth Wirth with 10. Wirth dished up two aces and 18 assists, while Ingram got 14 assists.
"They are going to the tired tomorrow," Giacomazzi said of his team after the Pioneers' spirited effort.
The Pioneers return to play in the tournament Friday, taking on Park University Gilbert (Ariz) at noon Central followed by Carroll (Mont.) at 5. The Pioneers wrap up the tourney against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) at 11 a.m. Saturday.
