Pioneers 'getting better' but 'making too many errors'

Wayland Baptist won the first set, but Oklahoma-Panhandle State claimed the next three as the Aggies prevailed in Sooner Athletic Conference volleyball action Tuesday evening at Hutcherson Center, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19.

"We looked a lot better than when we played at Texas Wesleyan and SAGU," Wayland coach Jim Giacomazzi said, alluding to being swept by the No. 21 Rams and #13 Lady Lions on the road last weekend. "We did a little bit better following through on our game plan, and we swung a little bit harder."

Wayland (1-9, 1-4 SAC) was on its way to taking a 2-0 lead, up in the second set 15-13. But the Aggies (10-4, 3-2) took the next six points as part of a 12-2 set-ending run.

In the third, OPSU used another 6-0 run to take a 9-3 lead. Wayland made a couple of runs but could never catch up all the way and fell, 25-20.

The fourth set was tight until the Aggies went on a 6-1 spurt to take a 19-13 lead. The Pioneers responded with five straight points to close to 19-18, but OPSU put away the match with a 6-1 run.

"Our passing was outstanding tonight, but we made too many errors," Giacomazzi said. "I'm not worried about the smart errors, but we had too many missed serves."

The Pioneers committed eight service errors along with 33 attack errors and hit .053, compared to OPSU's .156. Both teams had three players with double-digit kills. For Wayland it was Carlee Heidebrecht (12), Fade Ogunbade (11) and Chante Moore (10), while for OPSU it was Essence West (20), Joelle Laforce (15) and Angela Youngs (10).

Four Pioneers had double-digit digs: Dayna Critchi (18), Heidebrecht (15), Elizabeth Wirth (13) and Brenna Daniel (13). Chante Moore and Maria Eduarda Motta logged four block-assists each as Wayland put back a dozen OPSU attacks, but the Aggies ended with 20 blocks, including six by Ebony Dykes and five for Youngs.

"As individuals a lot of them are getting better, but we were trying to be too perfect tonight. We were trying to get an ace instead of making them play the ball. It worked really well in the first set," Giacomazzi said.

"We have to try not to be perfect. We're going to make mistakes. We were trying to be too perfect, and they don't have the skill yet to be perfect.

"There are some little things they're not picking up on. We're getting better. We just have to eliminate errors."

The Pioneers next are in action at 1 p.m. Saturday against John Brown (8-3, 3-1), ranked the equivalent of 31^st in the NAIA.

"They returned almost everybody, I think, so we're expecting a barn-burner," Giacomazzi said. "Hopefully OPSU wears them out on Friday night."