Pioneers Battle Hard in Five Set Thriller Against Saint Mary

PARKVILLE, Mo. -- Wayland Baptist volleyball showed grit and determination in their second match of the weekend, pushing Saint Mary to the limit before falling in a hard-fought five-set battle (24-26, 26-24, 25-18, 18-25, 7-15) Saturday morning at the Breckon Sports Center.
 
The Pioneers (0-2) traded blows with the Spires in what proved to be a back-and-forth affair featuring 33 ties and 14 lead changes. After narrowly dropping the first set, 26-24, Wayland responded with a clutch 26-24 win in set two and carried that momentum into a dominant third frame, 25-18. Saint Mary answered in the fourth to force a
decisive fifth set, where the Spires pulled away late to claim the match.
 
Offensive Highlights


Junior outside hitter Fade Ogunbade led the charge for the Pioneers, delivering a match-high 20 kills on a stellar .421 hitting percentage, while also contributing two solo blocks and two block assists for a team-best 23 points. She was supported by Carlee Heidebrecht and Milena Alliot-Maslankiewicz, who chipped in nine kills apiece, while Averi Penner added five kills and a solo block.
 
Running the offense, setter Martyna Lewinska dished out 47 assists and added nine digs. Behind the service line, Lilou Henry-Souquet-Bressand provided a spark with two aces, while Alliot-Maslankiewicz and Makayla Westfall each tallied one.
 
Defensive Standouts


Defensively, Alliot-Maslankiewicz anchored the back row with 19 digs, and libero Rachel Russell added 14 digs to keep the Pioneers alive in long rallies. As a team, WBU collected 73 digs and recorded seven total blocks at the net.
 
By the Numbers

• WBU outhit Saint Mary in the third set (.128 to .000) to seize control of the match.
• The Pioneers finished with a hitting percentage of .154 for the match (53 kills, 26 errors on 175 attempts).
• The contest featured 33 ties and 14 lead changes, highlighting just how competitive the matchup was.

 
Wayland Baptist will look to build on this effort as they continue their early-season road trip with another match this afternoon against RV Park (MO). The match is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM.