PLAINVIEW, TX – The Texas Wesleyan University volleyball team found themselves in a tough Sooner Athletic Conference match-up against Wayland Baptist University inside the Hutcherson Center Saturday afternoon where the Pioneers defeated the Rams 3-2 to hand them their first conference loss of the season.

Texas Wesleyan vs. WBU

20-25, 25-15, 29-31, 25-18, 13-15
 

After falling 20-25 in a very competitive first set to the Pioneer, Set two would see the rams jump out to a 12-3 lead as they over powered the pioneers early. Wayland would do their best to stay in the game but the Rams would take the set with a decisive 25-15 win. Set Three would resemble the start of the match as the two teams would battle the entire way. The set would continue to go the distance as both teams would not let the other pull away down the stretch. The Pioneers would get the better the better of the Rams as they would steal another set off the Rams with a 31-29 victory.Down two sets 

Facing a 2-1 deficit Texas Wesleyan would hold strong to force a match deciding fifth set. In the early stages of the set four, the two teams kept things close before the Rams would go on a mini run to take an 23-18. The Pioneers struggled with a slew of unforced errors and Texas Wesleyan closed out the set with a  25-18 win.

In their first set five of conference play Texas Wesleyan would hold a 4-3 lead over the Pioneers. The Rams would go on a 4-2 run to extend their lead as the two teams swapped sides. At 10-6 Wayland would be Forced to call a timeout as Texas Wesleyan inched closer and closer to match point. Unwilling to go quietly, the Pioneers would pull within one point of the Rams after a 5-0 run. With just five points needed to close out the game for both teams it would be the Rams that would pull away first at 13-11 before the Pioneers would use their final timeout. Wayland would come out of the timeout and fire off three straight points to capture match point. After a Texas Wesleyan timeout the Pioneers would deliver a final blow to the Rams and take the match 

Game notes:

• The Rams led in just about every statistical category  and finished the day with 71 kills off 210 attempts with just 32 errors for a .186 hitting percentage
• Despite the loss  Makenna Gantt put on a stellar performance as she led all players with 18 Kills and notched a season high 28 assists
• Hanna Rubis also had a career day with 17 kills and nine blocks
• Ruby O'Brien added another double-double to her name with 21 assists and 20 digs
• Makenna Dillow finished the weekend with 21 digs
   

The Rams return to the court next week for a Sooner Athletic Conference match against Langston University. The match is set to begin at 6:00 PM inside the C.F Gayles Field House.