Plainview, Texas -- The Wayland Baptist Univeristy Pioneers captured the final two sets to pull out a 3-1 win over the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels today (Oct. 22) in Sooner Athletic Conference action in Plainview, Texas.
After the Pioneers opened the match with a 25-18 win in the first set, the Lady Evangels bounced back to even the contest with a 25-19 win in the second.
The Lady Evangels took control by scoring eight of the final 10 points of the second set to turn a 17-17 gridlock into a 25-19 win.
MACU got two kills from Laurel Church and a kill each from Shannon Niemeier and Jasmine Pickett to fuel the surge to close out the set.
With the third set tight and the Pioneers leading 15-14, WBU used three kills from Mallorie Ellis to spark a 9-2 run to lead 24-16 before finishing it 25-18.
The Lady Evangels led 6-4 early in the fourth set, but the Pioneer scored six straight points to take a four-point lead.
It remained a four-point lead for WBU at 21-17 when Katie Inman put in two kills to help the Pioneers score the final four points of the set to close out the match 25-17.
Niemeier led the Lady Evangels (10-16, 2-12 SAC) with a personal season-high of 19 kills and also had a career-high 20 digs.
The Lady Evangels also got 11 kills from Laurel Church along with 10 kills and 12 digs by Larissa Runyan.
Melissa Hoppal recorded a career-best 42 assists for MACU and also had 12 digs. Camera Broadnax recorded a team-high 26 digs for the Lady Evangels, while Skylar Mylonas also reached double-figure digs with 14.
Megan Sharratt paced the Pioneers (19-13, 12-2 SAC) with 17 kills and Ellis added 13 kills. Elisabeth Piroli had a match-high 44 assists and Rossanna Ramos led all players with 39 digs.
The Lady Evangels will next be in action Tuesday night (Oct. 25) at John Brown University. The match is set for 7 p.m. in Siloam Springs, Ark.
