A formidable four-match stretch against the best the Sooner Athletic Conference has to offer came to a close for Wayland Baptist's volleyball team Saturday when the Pioneers fell to John Brown University (Ark.) at Hutcherson Center, 25-19, 25-20, 25-23.
The loss to the Golden Eagles (10-3, 5-1 SAC) wrapped up a stretch that saw Wayland (1-10, 1-5) go up against No. 21 Texas Wesleyan, No. 13 Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Oklahoma-Panhandle State and JBU, ranked the equivalent of 39th in the NAIA.
The Pioneers led in both the first and third sets, but WBU couldn't pull out either. Wayland was up big in the third, 13-3, but the Golden Eagles came all the way from the 10-point hole. The visitors from Batesville, Ark., soon after scoring seven straight points to close within one, took their first lead at 21-20. Wayland tied it at 22, but JBU ended the match on a 3-1 run.
JBU ended with 52 kills and hit .226 compared to Wayland's 26 kills and .088. Carlee Heidebrecht provided 10 of WBU's smashes, while Savanna Riney led the Golden Eagles with 19.
Dayana Critchi and Samantha Ingram got 14 and 13 digs for Wayland, respectively, while Ingram provided 17 assists. WBU booked a dozen block-assists, four by Chante Moore and three each from Elizabeth Wirth and Maria Eduarda Motta, and Haley Fossett logged half of WBU's six aces.
The Pioneers hit the road next week, taking on Langston (7-7, 1-5) at 7 p.m. Friday and Central Christian (6-11, 1-5) on Saturday at 1.
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