PLAINVIEW, Texas -- The John Brown University volleyball team narrowly lost in straight sets (21-25, 22-25, 22-25) at Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Friday evening (Sept. 27) inside the Hutcherson Center.
The loss dropped the Golden Eagles to 0-9 on the season when the offense fails to hit above .150 in the match.
The John Brown (6-10, 5-3 Sooner Athletic) attack was led by junior Emma-Kate Schaefer and senior Taylor Golmen, each posting eight kills. Schaefer hit .286, providing a consistent offensive presence throughout the match, while senior Erin Mullins followed closely with seven kills and showcased her versatility in the middle with three solo blocks.
Junior Emma DeSanti distributed 14 assists, however the Golden Eagles struggled with efficiency, finishing with a hitting percentage of .127 (35-18-134), compared to Wayland Baptist's .130. The Pioneers (6-5, 6-3) were paced by Selma Sutaj, who tallied 10 kills and a .132 hitting percentage, while Klaudia Brzeczkowska served up four aces and four solo blocks in the win.
Senior Julie Milligan was active in the backcourt, leading the Golden Eagles with 20 digs, her seventh 20-dig effort of the year, while DeSanti added 10 digs of her own to complete a double-double performance. Senior Grace Barfknecht also contributed 11 digs in the back line. John Brown's defense managed to accumulate 65 total digs, matching Wayland Baptist, but the visitors could only finish with a .899 serve-receive efficiency, making the transition to offense that much more difficult.
At the net, Mullins and senior Lilly Ruston were key blockers, combining for five rejections. Ruston added four kills on 14 swings, while Golmen and Schaefer each added a block apiece.
Despite early leads in the first and third sets, John Brown was unable to sustain momentum against a Wayland Baptist team that capitalized on errors at key moments. The Golden Eagles' gave the hosts 41 points via errors – including 18 attack and seven reception miscues – and diminished an opportunity to take advantage of a WBU squad that barely edged out John Brown in key areas.
The Golden Eagles will have a quick chance to bounce back when they return to action on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 28), when they take on Oklahoma Panhandle State inside Anchor D Arena, where JBU boasts a 5-1 all-time mark against the Aggies. The match, airing live on the SAC Sports Network, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
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