Wayland Baptist coach Jim Giacomazzi said the Tabor College (Kan.) Bluejays would bring a lot of “fire” and “enthusiasm” to their opening round match in the NAIA Volleyball National Championships.
They also brought a ton of determination. Tabor dropped the first set before rallying to win the next three, ending Wayland’s season on Saturday night in Hutcherson Center, 25-27, 27-25, 25-23, 25-20.
The win advances Tabor (26-9), making its first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Championships, to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa, as one of 32 teams beginning competition Nov. 29.
Wayland’s season ends 24-16 after its third straight home loss in the opening round.
After blowing an 18-12 lead and dropping the first set, 27-25, Tabor turned the tables on Wayland in the next two sets.
The Pioneers led the second set, 24-21, but couldn’t put the Bluejays away. A series of four consecutive attack errors allowed Tabor to take a 25-24 lead. Wayland fought off one match point with a kill by Alex Wood, but Tabor won it on a kill by Tena Loewen followed by another error by the Pioneers.
Wayland also held a substantial lead in the third set, up 18-13, when a combination of Tabor kills and Pioneer attack errors allowed the Bluejays to tie it at 19. Wayland went up by two only to have Tabor win the next four points, then the Pioneers won two to knot it at 23-all.
From there, an attack error by Wayland then a kill by Amy Horner finished it off for Tabor, 25-23.
A bit unsettled from Tabor’s comebacks, the Pioneers fell behind early in the fourth set, and although they were able to take a 9-8 lead, it didn’t last. Tabor took 10 of the next 13 points, and the writing was on the wall as the Bluejays held a commanding 18-12 edge.
Wayland briefly rallied to get within three, but the teams exchanged points the rest of the way and Tabor won the decisive fourth set, 25-20.
Both teams had about the same kills (55 for Tabor, 54 for Wayland), but the Pioneers committed 37 hitting errors and hit .097 compared to Tabor’s .173 with 25 errors.
Juniors Megan Sharratt and Wood finished with 17 and 15 kills and hit .233 and .238, respectively. Sophomore Mallorie Ellis added a dozen kills.
Tabor got 21 kills from Loewen (.210) and 17 from Horner (.188).
Wayland was credited with 84 digs, including 20 from Rossanna Ramos, 18 from Riyana Rakrouki and 15 from Ellis. Ali Jost paced Tabor with 25 digs while Loewen and Horner recorded 15 apiece.
Wayland put down eight blocks – Sharratt had four block-assists – compared to seven for Tabor – Keeley Kroeker, Miranda Leibold and Kendrda Kroeker had three BAs each.
Rakrouki tallied 44 assists for the Pioneers while Megan Both got 29 and Keeley Kroeker 22 for the Bluejays. Voth also posted two aces.
Courtesy Wayland Baptist Athletics
