SHAWNEE, OK: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (17-9, 6-3 SAC) won a 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-16) battle against St. Gregory's University (5-12, 1-8 SAC) on Friday night.
 
The Lady Rams went into hostile territory and it took a little time to adjust as the Cavaliers came out swinging. SGU played sharp in the first set hitting .263 compared to the .163 Wesleyan posted. The set was tied 8-8 before the Cavs made a 5-1 run to take a 13-9 lead. The Lady Rams kept the set close and got with one point at 20-19 on a SGU error. The Cavs rattled off a 3-0 run to make it set point at 24-19, but the Lady Rams fired back Shelby Stinnett tallied two kills and a 4-0 rally was capped by a Starnisha Bodie, Shelby Stinnett block to cut it to a 24-23 game. The Cavaliers were able to force an error to block the comeback and taking the first set win.
 
The Rams made a 4-0 run to start the second set, capped by a Bodie kill to jump out to a 6-2 kill. Texas Wesleyan kept control of the set, maintaining a lead by spreading the attack. Abby Zipoy laid down a service ace to make it a 17-11 advantage. Wesleyan just outscored the Cavs the rest of the way, as a Kristina Gafford ace put the Rams up 21-14, and a Bodie blast evened the match at one apiece with a 25-16 win.
 
The Cavaliers fought back in the third set, taking a 6-2 lead to start. That lead did not last long as the Rams popped off a 6-0 run capped by a Zipoy kill to take an 11-8 lead. St. Gregory's cut the lead to one point, but Texas Wesleyan pushed back and Alanna Hayhurst made it a 21-15 lead on a thundering kill. The Rams held off the Cavaliers to take the third set, 25-20.
 
With all the momentum on their side, Wesleyan totally overwhelmed St. Gregory's grabbing a 9-0 rally capped by a pair of Gafford aces to make it a 9-1 start to the fourth set. Bodie pounded a kill to give the Rams a commanding 23-12 lead. Zipoy ended the match with a kill to take the fourth set 25-16.
 
Zipoy led all players with 16 kills, adding 12 digs. Gafford posted 39 assists in the win. Stinnett tacked on 12 kills. Shaughnessy Hearn notched 20 digs. Bodie earned 10 kills in the match.
 
The Rams will end their rigorous road stretch with a match against Southwestern Christian tomorrow in Bethany, OK starting at 1:00 pm.