SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Junior Jessica Meyer turned in a 17-kill performance and the John Brown University volleyball team submitted its second-best hitting effort of the season to ride away with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 21-25, 25-23) win over Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Friday (Sept. 14) evening inside Bill George Arena.
The win improves the Golden Eagles to 4-5 overall with a 4-1 mark in Sooner Athletic play. Competing in front of the rowdy Bill George Arena fans seemed to have a positive impact on JBU's hitting performance, as three attackers finished with double-digit kills.
In the three matches it won, John Brown hit a combined .324, paced by Meyer's .762 attacking night, including a trio of blocks. Junior Megan Beck contributed a season-high 13 terminations while senior Bayli Reagan added 12 kills and eight digs.
"It was great to finally have the opportunity to play at home and in front of our fans, head coach Ken Carver said. "We were able to be in system, offensively, most of tonight and Carrie (Ciesla) and Elizabeth (Williams) did a good job of putting our offensive players in good positions to score.
"We've been trying to emphasize getting our middles more swings and I was pleased that both of our setters did a good job of executing on that and was happy to see both Lindsey (Davis) and Jessica (Meyer) have big nights for us offensively."
Junior Lindsey Davis added nine kills and two blocks on the evening.
The Pioneers (3-7, 3-3 Sooner Athletic) held a late 20-16 lead in the first set, but a 9-0 rally from the hosts quickly ended WBU's opportunity to take a 1-0 lead on the road. Reagan, Meyer and Beck added kills, but six Pioneer errors proved to be their undoing in the first.
The visitors again had a substantial lead in the second, 11-6, but a pair of kills from Meyer and Reagan jump-started a 7-2 respond that knotted the match at 13 apiece. Again tied at 18, back-to-back terminations from Davis and Reagan built momentum that handed the Golden Eagles a 23-20 lead. WBU responded, but a service error followed by junior Kinzee Mayo's kill solidified a 2-0 advantage for John Brown.
Tied at 17 in the third, WBU pieced together an 8-4 rally that ended JBU's hopes of a sweep.
The hosts responded in the fourth, however, with a Meyer kill and Beck block that created a little distance at 16-11. Another Beck kill maintained a 22-18 advantage until Wayland Baptist closed the gap to 22-21. The squads traded points until Meyer's 17 kill of the match ended WBU's hopes of a comeback bid.
"Defensively, Jenna (Lowery) stepped up and had one of her best matches to date in her young career," added Carver. "She's continued to settle in as our libero and is gaining confidence in her abilities to read and react defensively in our system."
Lowery finished the contest with a season-best 24 scoops.
"Tonight was an important early season conference win for us and a great way to get our home match schedule off to a good start," concluded Carver.
WBU's Mallorie Ellis finished with 19 kills, four blocks and six digs and Kellie Kozak contributed 11 terminations in the loss.
JBU turns right around to face Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday (Sept. 15) at 1 p.m. inside Bill George Arena.
