FORT WORTH - Texas Wesleyan volleyball has faced some stiff competition in non-conference play, including three nationally-ranked opponents. Things felt a little easier to start Sooner Athletic Conference play Friday night, as Wesleyan's season-high 12 aces propelled the Lady Rams to a three-set sweep over Central Christian (25-12, 25-7, 25-8).
 
Wesleyan got four service aces from Ashley Curry and Brianna Sitton with Sunny Clark contributing two. Curry had two aces in a 5-0 run that helped separate the Rams in the second set. Clark got back-to-back aces later in the frame, extending the Lady Rams lead to 19-5.
 
The Rams trailed just once - the first point of the match, jumping out to a commanding 13-1 Set 3 advantage. Brittni Mohle set the tempo, claiming five kills in Set 1. She'd finish the natch with seven kills and a hitting percentage of .500 - the third time she's hit at least .500 at Wesleyan (minimum 10 attacks).
 
Chastiny Brown led Wesleyan with eight kills. Tierra Coverson had six to go along with a game-leading three blocks. Brenda Pargas led all passers with 23 assists and Sitton added to her digs season leaderboard total with 18.
 
The Lady Rams defense held Central Christian to a mere seven kills, less than Brown on her own, and did not record a block or an ace.
 
Matinée slugfest
 
In the early match, the Lady Rams lost a hard-fought game to Georgetown College of Kentucky, ranked 17th in the country: 22-25, 25-27, 14-25.
 
Twice, Wesleyan claimed big leads over the Tigers and watched the sets slip away. In Set 1, Wesleyan led 13-7 before Georgetown rattled off 10 straight points including four kills from Jessica Tapp, who finished with a game-high 19.
 
De ja vu in Set 2. With the Rams up 12-7, back clawed the Tigers, going on an 8-1 run. Down the stretch, back and forth they went, tying the game at 16 and 17 (Sasha Robinson kills), 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 before Georgetown finally overtook Wesleyan with back-to-back kills. Still, the Rams did not let up and had a hot attacker of their own - Jasmine Creek slammed back-to-back kills home to even the score at 24. After Wesleyan once again tied the set at 25, Georgetown capped a 20-kill, Set 2 performance with their final pair.
 
Robinson, Dana Lohrke and Creek all had six kills. Hannah Altman and Brenda Pargas combined for 24 assists, 13 and 11 respectively and Sitton had 12 digs. Coverson was the strength at the net with six blocks.
 
Right around the corner
 
Wesleyan wakes up tomorrow to a newcomer in the SAC - Langston - an 11 a.m. start at the Sid Richardson Center before capping off a four-game weekend with Our Lady of the Lake at 1:30 p.m.