FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas Wesleyan University (5-5, 2-0 SAC) defeated Mid-America Christian University (4-4, 0-2 SAC) 3-1 on Saturday at Sid Richardson Center. After dropping the first set, Texas Wesleyan won the next three 25-15, 25-22 and 25-19 while finishing with 48 kills, 80 digs and 11 blocks.
Texas Wesleyan's biggest response came midway through the first set, when
Lilia Ottenwalder served four straight points to pull the set even at 16-16, a stretch that included her ace, a
Loes Peijnenburg-
Faith McClellan block and a
Migdaly Bernal kill from Ottenwalder. Earlier, Texas Wesleyan opened with the first two points and later answered a 9-4 deficit with a
Haley Fojtik kill, a block by
Florencia Churin, Fojtik and
Vanya Palmeros, and a Mid-America Christian error to get within 9-7. The home side continued to get offense from Churin, Bernal, McClellan, Peijnenburg and Palmeros, while
Neeley Rutledge and
Lillian Breaux each added service aces to keep Texas Wesleyan within reach late. Mid-America Christian moved back ahead after the 16-16 tie and closed the set on kills by Katie Stafford and Seyi Atolagbe, handing Texas Wesleyan a 25-21 first-set loss.
Texas Wesleyan broke open the second set from a 6-6 tie, winning the next seven points and moving ahead 13-6 behind a service stretch from Breaux that included two aces, a
Madison Grekstas kill, and kills by Palmeros and
Malaya Young. Earlier, Texas Wesleyan answered a 5-3 deficit with a Peijnenburg kill, a block involving Palmeros and Young, and a Palmeros kill to move in front 6-5 before Mid-America Christian tied it. After the long run, Texas Wesleyan kept separation with kills from Grekstas and Bernal, plus blocks involving Bernal, Young and Peijnenburg. Ottenwalder and Bernal added service aces later in the set, and McClellan closed the set with a kill from Bernal for a 25-15 Texas Wesleyan win.
Texas Wesleyan turned a 9-7 deficit into an 11-9 lead in the third set, getting kills from Young, Palmeros and Grekstas before Breaux added a service ace. Earlier, Texas Wesleyan steadied after Mid-America Christian's 4-1 start, with Churin and Peijnenburg combining on one block and Palmeros and Young on another as the home side worked back into the set. After Mid-America Christian tied it at 12-12 and again at 13-13, Texas Wesleyan moved ahead 17-13 with kills by Grekstas,
Jordan Daniell, Bernal and Peijnenburg around an opponent error. The lead reached 24-19 after a Grekstas kill and back-to-back Mid-America Christian setting errors, and although Mid-America Christian cut it to 24-22, Texas Wesleyan finished the set on a Morgan Cross attack error for a 25-22 win.
Texas Wesleyan pulled away in the fourth set by turning an 8-7 edge into a 15-8 lead, taking seven of eight rallies behind kills from Grekstas and Palmeros and several Mid-America Christian errors. Earlier, Peijnenburg helped Texas Wesleyan get started with two early kills, while Grekstas, Churin, Breaux and Palmeros added points as the set stayed close through 8-7. Palmeros continued to carry the attack through the middle of the set, adding three more kills as Texas Wesleyan moved ahead 17-9. After Mid-America Christian cut the score to 20-18, Texas Wesleyan answered with a Bernal kill, back-to-back blocks involving Peijnenburg with Bernal and Grekstas, and a Peijnenburg kill before closing the set 25-19 on an attack error.
Palmeros led Texas Wesleyan with 12 kills and added 11 digs and three blocks. Peijnenburg recorded 11 kills while hitting .455 and finished with six blocks. Breaux served four aces and added 15 assists and 10 digs. Daniell collected a team-high 16 digs.
The Rams stay home next weekend as they take on College of the Ozarks on Friday, September 11 at 6:00pm in the Sid Richardson Center.
