Box Score



FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (5-9, 3-1 SAC) secured a 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-23, 25-27, 15-10) nail-biter over rival Southwestern Assemblies of God University (5-7, 1-2 SAC) at the Sid Richardson Center on Tuesday.  
 
The Lady Rams fell into a 0-4 deficit in the first set, but a timeout spurred Wesleyan to a 7-0 run to take a 7-4 lead. Texas Wesleyan kept the Lady Lions at bay, extending the lead to a 12-6 advantage on a Meghan Finley kill. A Starnisha Bodie kill later in the set made it an 18-12 lead, forcing a SAGU timeout. The Rams stayed in control throughout the rest of the set and an Abigail Zipoy service ace put Wesleyan up 1-0 with a 25-17 win.
 
The Lady Lions jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the second set, and kept a very slight margin over Texas Wesleyan until the Rams took a 7-2 rally capped by a Shelby Stinnett kill to tie the game at 20-20. SAGU pulled out a 5-1 run to take a 25-21 second set win.
 
Once again the Lions jumped out to an early lead in the third set, but the Lady Rams answered with a Stinnett kill to tie the game 11-11. The score was tied 10 more times at neither team budged an inch in the important third set. Two consecutive kills by Alex Hendee gave Wesleyan a 23-22 lead late in the set. A Bodie kill gave TWU set point, and a Lion error put the Rams up 2-1 with a 25-23 win.
 
The fourth was a close one early as each team took turns earning side-outs before a 4-0 burst by SAGU made it a 14-10 Lion lead. The Lady Lions gained a sizable lead at 20-14, before the Rams rallied with a 7-0 spurt to take a 21-20 lead. The game would be tied five more times as each team fought to hold an advantage. A Finley kill tied the game at 25-25, but a Ram error and a Summer Skillern kill tied the match 2-2 with a 27-25 fourth set and forcing a fifth set in the process.
 
Texas Wesleyan stayed focused and level headed to start the fifth set. A Stinnett kill made it a 6-3 Lady Ram lead. A Hendee kill gave Wesleyan control of an 8-4 lead. The two teams traded points until a SAGU error led to a final Finley kill for a 15-10, 3-2 match win.
 
"What a win." touted head coach Kimberly Weaver, "Tonight was the first time we really came together as a group, playing off of each other's' energy. I was impressed with the way we handled a high pressure match against a good SAGU team. Mary Trejo stepped up and did a great job of keeping the ball alive in serve receive, while having a solid night serving as well. Once again Meghan Finley turned in a great performance and gave us the momentum we needed at the right times. She is playing at a very high level."
 
Finley led the Lady Rams with 19 kills, totaling 21.5 points. Hendee tallied a double-double on 14 kills and 13 digs. Stinnett also had a double-double night with 11 kills and 28 digs.  Lauren Hamaker was the third Lady Rams with a double-double behind 27 assists and 11 digs.  Zipoy led all players with 30 digs.
 
The Lady Rams will play in the MNU Hy-Vee Magana Memorial Tournament this weekend, starting with a match against Grand View College at 1:00 pm and Evangel University at 7:00 pm on Friday, Saturday 26.