WAXAHACHIE, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (15-9, 4-3 SAC) showed some resolve and picked up an exciting 3-2 (25-15, 18-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-10) conference win over Southwestern Assemblies of God University (12-6, 4-3 SAC) at the Sheaffer Center on Tuesday.
 
The Lady Lions rallied to tie the first set at 4 apiece and kept the game close. The set was tied multiple times, SAGU held an 11-10 lead until the Lady Rams busted out an 8-1 run to take a 20-13 lead capped by a Shelby Stinnett kill. A Kiersten Mebane kill made it a nine point advantage at 23-14. A Stinnett smash made it set point before a Lady Lion error gave the Rams a 25-15 win.
 
The Lady Lions defended home court in the second set after a kill by Summer Skillern tied the game at 7 apiece. SAGU went an 8-1 tear to take a commanding 16-8 lead. The Lady Rams could never recover and dropped the set, 25-18.
 
The Lady Rams got out to a 4-1 lead in the third set on a Stinnett service ace. The Rams held on to a slight lead until the Lions tied the set 13-13. The teams fought back and forth until Starnisha Bodie came up with a big kill to take a 19-18 lead. That fueled Wesleyan to a 6-1 rally capped by a Stinnett kill
 
In the fourth set, the Lady Rams forgot to bring their game, digging a big hole for themselves. The Lions took advantage of the Ram errors to grab a 14-3 lead. SAGU held a ten point advantage for most of the set. The game was 20-10 until the Lady Rams tacked on a 6-0 rally highlighted by a pair of Bodie kills and trio of Abby Zipoy kills to make it a 20-15 game. The Rams outscored the Lions 7-5, but the hole was to deep, dropping the game 25-22.
 
SAGU forced a fifth set and both team dug in to make a run. The Lions struck first with kills from Caitlin Paschall and Kali Shaw to make it a 2-0 game. The Lady Rams pushed back and Mebane made it 3-3 with a kill. The Lions answered to take a 5-3 lead. Stinnett threw down a kill to tie the final set at 6-6. Wesleyan punched in a 4-1 run highlighted by a Stinnett kill to make it a 10-7 advantage. The Lady Rams held their ground and Zipoy put the match away with a kill, picking up an important road win.
 
Texas Wesleyan got extremely efficient work out of their two ace hitters as Zipoy and Stinnett each tallied a double-double with 23 kills and 14 digs. Kristina Gafford posted a double-double with 50 assists and 11 digs. Shaughnessy Hearn led all players with 26 digs.
 
The Lady Rams will take on Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City, OK on Saturday, October 10 at 12:00 pm