FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (4-1) powered to a 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 27-25) win over Arlington Baptist University (1-1) at the Sid Richardson Center on Monday.
 
The Lady Rams started the first set on an 8-2 run capped by Kiersten Mebane before forcing a Patriot timeout. Shaughnessy Hearn made it a 12-5 lead with a service ace. The Lady Rams kept the pressure on and closed the set 25-14 on a Mebane kill.
 
Bre Blackburn gave the Rams a 6-3 lead with an ace to start the second set. Mebane later put together back-to-back kills before Kristina Gafford tallied a kill to complete a 9-0 run, taking a 13-3 lead. Things did not get much better for Arlington Baptist as the Lady Rams overpowered their opponent, leading by as much as 14 points to take a 25-11 win.
 
The Lady Rams and Patriots kept the third set close as Arlington Baptist got their first lead of the match with a Meagan Koontz kill for the first point of the set. Texas Wesleyan earned a slight lead at 10-8 on a Gafford kill. The Patriots fought back and tied the game at 14-14 with a Koontz service ace. ABC held an 18-16 lead before Wesleyan regained a 19-18 lead on an Abby Zipoy ace. The set was tied seven more times before TWU broke the 25-25 tie with an Alanna Hayhurst kill. A Patriot attacking error made it a 27-25 game that closed the match out for the Rams.
 
Zipoy led the offense with 11 kills and three aces. Hayhurst added eight kills and seven digs. Gafford posted 34 assists. Shelby Stinnett tacked on seven kills, hitting .500 in the win.
 
Texas Wesleyan will head to the Viking Invitational starting on Friday, August 28 in Marshall, MO. The Lady Rams will take on Central Methodist University at 12:00 pm before playing Avila University at 4:00 pm.