LANGSTON, Okla. — Texas Wesleyan University (9-8, 6-3 SAC) defeated Langston University (2-9, 1-8 SAC) 3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-21) on Saturday at C.F. Gayles Field House. The Rams finished with 37 kills and a .216 hitting percentage while holding Langston to 16 kills and a -.103 percentage.
The Rams took control of the opening set immediately, scoring the first six points behind kills from
Florencia Churin and
Loes Peijnenburg, a Peijnenburg-Churin block and a
Jordan Daniell service ace. After Langston answered to make it 6-3, the Rams responded with a
Migdaly Bernal kill and a Peijnenburg ace, then later turned a 10-5 edge into a 15-5 lead with help from a
Tamara Blakley kill and a Bernal ace.
Faith McClellan added a kill and teamed with Peijnenburg on a block as the Rams continued to hold separation. Daniell's second ace, another Churin kill and two late Bernal kills helped finish the set, with Bernal putting down the final point for a 25-10 Rams win.
The Rams opened the second set with five straight points, including a
Lilia Ottenwalder service ace and blocks involving McClellan,
Haley Fojtik and Churin, and carried that early separation into a 25-10 set win.
Migdaly Bernal helped extend the margin with three kills in a span that pushed the Rams to 11-2, with Ottenwalder assisting on each of those attacks. Blakley added three straight kills for the Rams later in the set, two from
Neeley Rutledge and one from
Lillian Breaux, before a
Loes Peijnenburg service run took the score to 22-7 behind a Fojtik kill, a Peijnenburg ace and a block by Blakley and Fojtik. After Langston scored twice late, Blakley and Ottenwalder answered with a kill and an ace, and
Madison Grekstas finished the set with a kill from Ottenwalder.
The Rams created separation late in the third set, moving from an 18-16 lead to 23-17 behind kills from Blakley and
Malaya Young, consecutive blocks involving Blakley and Young, and a
Chase Silva service ace. Earlier,
Loes Peijnenburg helped the Rams turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 edge with a kill, a service ace and assists from Ottenwalder on kills by
Migdaly Bernal and Churin. Langston answered to tie the set at 5-5 and later moved ahead 8-7, but the Rams continued to trade points with blocks from Young, Bernal, Blakley and McClellan before
Madison Grekstas added two kills during the middle of the set. After Langston pulled within 23-20, Blakley put the Rams at set point and
Vanya Palmeros finished the 25-21 set win with a kill.
Blakley led the Rams with nine kills, hit .400 and added four block assists.
Migdaly Bernal finished with eight kills, one service ace and two digs. Ottenwalder recorded a team-high 17 assists with two service aces and four digs.
Neeley Rutledge collected a team-high 13 digs and added three assists.
The Rams return home next week as they take on the Pioneers of Wayland Baptist on Friday, October 2 at 6pm.
