FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (1-1) fell 3-1 (25-27, 25-22, 20-25, 24-26) to John Brown University(1-0) before taking a 3-2 (16-25, 25-23, 25-21, 17-25, 16-14) win over seventeenth ranked Kansas Wesleyan University(1-1) at the Texas Wesleyan Lu Allen Invitational in Graham, TX on Friday.
 
The Lady Rams fought hard in the first set, but had some first game jitters as JBU narrowly took game one 27-25. The Lady Rams battled back with composure to take the second set 25-22. In the third set, Wesleyan was down by as many as ten points. The Rams battled back to make it close but dropped the set 25-20. JBU took the fourth set 26-24 in the up and down match for the Rams.
 
In the second game Wesleyan took on Kansas Wesleyan, who is ranked seventeenth in the NAIA preseason poll. The Lady Rams and Lady Coyotes put on a great show in a good old fashioned slugfest. KWU took the first set 16-25 with good hitting and service. The Lady Rams came back in game two to tie the match at one apiece with a 25-23 win. In the third set, Texas Wesleyan got down early at 4-1, but was able to battle back and win 25-23 behind consistent play. The Lady Coyotes made adjustments in the fourth set and it showed as the powered past Texas Wesleyan 17-25, and force a fifth set. Not to be out done, the Lady Rams continued their consistent play and was able to pull off the upset, taking game five 16-14.
 
“Once the serve receiving got consistent, we stepped up and took control. Our freshman showed they could hold their own against a really good Kansas Wesleyan team. They made and adjustment in the fourth set, but we came back and made an adjustment in the fifth set to get the win. This was a great confidence and character builder for our team. It was great to see us turn around and play the way we did, winning in five, after dropping a tough match against John Brown.”
 
The Lady Rams will take on Oklahoma Baptist at 10:30am before playing the University of St. Thomas at 3:00pm in day two of the TW Lu Allen Invite.