PARKVILLE, Mo. -- Wayland Baptist bounced back in a big way Saturday evening, earning a thrilling 3-1 victory over
RV Park University (17-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-23) for its first win of the season—and the first win for new head coach
Lucie Mahelova.
After dropping the opening set 25-17, the Pioneers regrouped and battled through a tight second frame, edging the Pirates 26-24 to even the match. From there, Wayland found its rhythm, taking the third set 25-21 and capping the night with a hard-fought 25-23 finish.
The Pioneers delivered a balanced offensive attack, led by
Deniz Yileri, who hammered down 15 kills and tallied 16 digs, good for 18 points.
Carlee Heidebrecht added 14 kills while hitting .231, and middle blocker
Fade Ogunbade was dominant at the net with 12 kills and a team-high 3 solo blocks.
Senior setter
Martyna Lewinska directed the offense with 47 assists and chipped in 18 digs, earning a double-double performance. On the defensive end,
Rachel Russell anchored the back row with an impressive 29 digs, helping Wayland out-dig Park, 96-92.
As a team, the Pioneers hit .218 on the night with 55 kills, eight total blocks, and three service aces, overcoming an efficient Park squad that opened strong but cooled off after the first set.
With the win, Wayland improves to 1-2 on the season and spoils the home court for the Pirates (3-2). More importantly, it marks the beginning of a new era under Coach Mahelova.
"After a small struggle in the first set, the team finally came together and played like one unit," Mahelova said. "Park is a very talented team, so I am happy we stuck together through the ups and downs and were able to win three sets in a row against a team that is receiving votes."
The Pioneers now turn their attention to Sooner Athletic Conference play, opening league action on Friday, September 5th at John Brown University. First serve is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
