MARSHALL, MO: The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team (6-1) nabbed two wins in the first day of the Vikings Invitational. The Lady Rams won a 3-2 (13-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-7) game over Central Methodist University (0-2) before winning a 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-21) match with Avila University (1-1) at Volney Ashford Gym on Friday.
 
The Lady Rams battled the CMU Eagles and took control of the game in the fifth set with a 15-7 win to seal the match. Abby Zipoy led the charge with 13 kills and 20 digs. Kiersten Mebane posted 10 kills, hitting .429. Kristina Gafford notched 39 assists and 15 digs. Shaughnessy Hearn tacked on 38 digs in the win.
 
The Lady Rams and Avila Eagles played tightly through first set, and neither team enjoyed control. A Zipoy kill gave the Rams a 13-10 lead, but Avila went on an 8-0 run to take an 18-13 lead. Texas Wesleyan fought back with a 6-3 run highlighted by a Bre Blackburn kill to cut the lead to 21-19. Another Zipoy kill made it a 21-20 game, but the Eagles capitalized on a couple of late Wesleyan mistakes to take a 25-21 first set.  
 
The second set was another close one to start, but Gafford distributed the ball evenly between the Ram hitters to gain a slight lead. Avila tied the game at 10-10 and the set stayed close throughout. Shelby Stinnett powered home a kill, making it a 20-18 lead and forcing an Eagle timeout. Texas Wesleyan extended the lead to 23-18 after the timeout on another Stinnett kill. Avila fought back with a 4-0 run to make it a 23-22 game, but again the Lady Rams looked to Stinnett who delivered a big set point kill. Starnisha Bodie tied the match with a kill to take the set 25-23.
 
The third set was no different as the two teams volleyed for the lead. The game was tied at 7-7 before the Rams worked their way to a slight 11-8 advantage after a Zipoy kill. Texas Wesleyan continued on what would be a 6-0 run capped by a Gafford kill to take a commanding 16-8 lead. The Lady Rams cruised from there to take a 25-15 third set.
 
The Lady Rams made the most of an important fourth set, starting by coming back from a 17-13 deficit. TWU rallied with a 6-0 spurt capped by a Stinnett service ace to take a 19-17 lead. Avila fought back and tied the set at 21 apiece, but Mebane delivered a hearty smash to give the Rams a 23-21 lead before the Eagles took a timeout. After the timeout Avila could not stray from errors and let the match slip with a 25-21, 3-1 Wesleyan win.
 
Stinnett lit up the scoreboard and posted a career high 22 kills, hitting .475 and adding 13 digs and four aces in the win. Zipoy notched 17 kills, while Mebane had 11 kills for the Rams. Gafford also posted a career high 52 assists in the match. Hearn kept the ball in play with 25 digs and no reception errors.