FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (24-10) advanced to the semifinal match of the 2015 Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19) win over Southwestern Christian University (14-21) at the Sid Richardson Center on Saturday.
 
The Eagles had their ears pinned back the entire match and left everything on the floor as they tried to upset the Lady Rams today. Neither team could find any breathing room in the first set as the score was tied six time before the Rams took a 4-1 rally capped by a Starnisha Bodie smash to give Wesleyan a 14-11 lead. TWU tried to hold off the charging Eagles, but the visiting team finally tied the set again at 19-19 on a Shaeli Munroe kill. The game was tied once again at 21 apiece before the Lady Rams hit turbo on a 4-0 run capped by a pair of Shelby Stinnett kills to win the first game 25-21.
 
The second set was a tightly contested one as well as both teams played with their seasons on the line. The Eagles tied the game at 12-12 before taking a 17-13 lead. The Lady Rams took advantage of Southwestern Christian errors though and made a 5-1 run capped by a pair of Abby Zipoy kills to regain a 20-19 edge. The Eagles had no shortage of offense, cutting the score to 24-23, but also committed too many errors and gave Wesleyan a 25-23 second set win on an attacking error.
 
SCU made a few adjustment and finally hit on all cylinder in the third, taking a 16-13 lead after being down 7-2 early in the set. Samantha McDonald kept the Eagles with a 20-16 lead on a kill that prompted a TWU timeout. Tori Sharp hit an ace to take a 23-16 lead, their biggest of the night. The never say quit Rams fought back with a 4-0 rally capped on a Zipoy kill that cut the lead to 23-20. Even though Wesleyan had momentum, scoring six of the last eight points, they could not make the comeback and dropped the third by a score of 25-22.
 
The Eagles came out swinging and put the Rams on their heels, taking a 7-3 lead to start the fourth set. Wesleyan quickly regrouped with a 5-0 rally capped by a Zipoy kill to gain an 11-10 advantage. The two teams went back and forth with the lead down the stretch, but the Rams forced the Eagles into six errors in the last nine points. As expected, Zipoy took the final shot that ended the Eagles season with a 25-19 fourth set to win the match 3-1.
 
"What an incredible match," commented head coach Kimberly Weaver, "We are playing our best at the right time. We were able to win tonight because of solid performances from every position. Kiersten Mebane and Alanna Hayhurst were outstanding. I am so impressed with this group, and proud of the confident approach in the midst of such adversity. Oklahoma City is up next, and we are ready."
 
Zipoy tallied her 12 th consecutive double-double with 24 kills and 17 digs. Stinnett posted a double-double with 16 kills and 19 digs. Kristina Gafford notched a double-double behind 50 assists and 11 digs. Shaughnessy Hearn led all players with 27 digs. Hayhurst added nine kills, six digs and a pair of blocks.
 
The Lady Rams split the regular season series with the Stars, and will travel to Oklahoma City, OK to play the Stars in a semi-final match on November 11. The starting time of the match is to be determined.