FT. WORTH, Texas -- The John Brown University volleyball team snapped a 12-match losing skid against Texas Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 12), rallying from an eight-point deficit in the opening set before finishing off a 25-21, 28-26, 25-20 sweep inside the Sid Richardson Center.

The victory marked JBU's first over the Rams since a 3-1 home win on April 3, 2021, and its first inside the Sid Richardson Center since a five-set victory on Oct. 11, 2014. The Golden Eagles had dropped 11 straight matches in the building before Saturday's breakthrough, improving to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in Sooner Athletic play.

"Absolutely a phenomenal result this afternoon," head coach Ken Carver admitted. "I'm so proud of our players and the focus, grit and resiliency they showed in a tightly contested match.

"This match had a similar feel to our match against Nelson the night before. This time, however, we were able to make some of the plays and stand strong in moments when we weren't able to in the previous match. To our players' credit, they drew a mental 'line in the sand' and changed the momentum of the match."

John Brown did its damage without winning the kill battle. Texas Wesleyan finished with a 42-35 advantage in terminations, but the Golden Eagles forced 26 Ram attack errors and held the hosts to .122 (42-26-131) in the attack. JBU finished at .165 (35-16-115) and owned sizable advantages both aces from the service line (9-2) and blocks (11-7).

Sophomore Clara Hyke supplied the most efficient offensive performance of the afternoon, tying her season high with 11 kills on only 20 attacks while hitting .400. Sophomore Kate Carlson followed with eight kills and added an ace, while sophomore Reese Montgomery finished without an attack error, putting down four kills on 11 swings (.364) and contributing five rejections.

Senior Mia Bowman caused problems throughout the afternoon from behind the service line, landing a season-high four aces to tie her career best while adding eight digs.

Sophomore Paige Addington collected a match-best 19 digs and two aces, and freshman Chloe Hooper turned in 17 assists, seven digs and two aces. Junior Tessa Medina added another 12 assists as the Golden Eagles finished with helpers on all 35 kills.

John Brown's front row created pressure throughout the sweep. Montgomery's five blocks were matched by sophomore Olivia Tucker, who recorded JBU's lone solo stuff and four block assists. Freshmen Chelsea Day and Whitley Underdown added four blocks apiece as the Golden Eagles produced 20 block-assists across three sets.

Texas Wesleyan received 11 kills on .429 hitting from Florencia Churin, nine kills from Loes Peijnenburg and eight apiece from Vanya Palmeros and Madison Grekstas, but JBU's defense forced two  Rams into seven or more attack errors.

Set 1: Texas Wesleyan appeared ready to take early control, scoring the first three points and steadily stretching the advantage throughout the opening half. The Rams led 10-5 and later 14-7 before pushing the margin to a set-high eight points at 16-8. John Brown had only briefly found offensive rhythm to that point, but the complexion of the set changed dramatically with Addington at the service line.

A Tucker-Underdown block started the comeback before Montgomery and Day combined for another rejection. A Texas Wesleyan attack error followed, and Addington then delivered an ace to make it 16-12. Montgomery and Tucker teamed for another block, Day put away a kill, and another Ram attack error pulled JBU within one. Tucker finished the eight-point surge with a kill off an Addington assist, erasing the entire deficit and tying the set at 16-16.

Texas Wesleyan briefly regained the lead at 17-16, but the momentum had already shifted. Tucker answered with another kill, an errant Ram set gave JBU its first advantage of the frame, and Hooper followed with an ace to make it 19-17. Hyke later put down a kill and Bowman served an ace as John Brown extended the lead to 21-18. The Golden Eagles eventually reached set point on an Underdown kill before a Texas Wesleyan attack error completed the 25-21 turnaround.

JBU's net play drove the comeback. The Golden Eagles produced six blocks in the opening set and held Texas Wesleyan to .081 hitting despite the Rams finishing with three more kills in the frame. John Brown countered by hitting .207 and committing only four attack errors.

Set 2: John Brown carried the momentum into the second, using kills from Underdown and Day to take an early 3-1 advantage. Texas Wesleyan briefly moved ahead 4-3, but the Golden Eagles answered and eventually turned an 8-7 edge into a 13-7 cushion. Hyke started the five-point push with a kill, Carlson followed with another, and Bowman punctuated the run with an ace before consecutive Ram attack errors forced Texas Wesleyan into a timeout.

The six-point advantage didn't last. Texas Wesleyan scored seven of the next eight points to erase the margin and tie the set at 14-14, beginning an extended stretch in which neither side could take control. The Rams eventually nudged ahead 18-16, but the visitors continued answering. A TXWES service error and attack error brought JBU even again at 19, and Bowman later delivered another ace during a three-point surge that put the Golden Eagles back in front 22-20.

From there, the set turned into a race through deuce. Texas Wesleyan tied the frame at 22 and again at 23 before junior Federica Ferrari put down a kill to give JBU the first set-point opportunity at 24-23. The Rams erased it with a Palmeros kill and then earned their own set point at 25-24 after a block. John Brown survived when Madison Grekstas committed an attack error, but Peijnenburg answered with a kill to hand Texas Wesleyan another chance at 26-25.

This time, the Golden Eagles shut the door. Tucker and Underdown combined at the net to fight off the second Ram set point and tie the score at 26. Consecutive Ram attack errors followed, allowing JBU to claim the final three rallies and escape with a 28-26 win.

The marathon frame featured 12 ties and seven lead changes as John Brown moved within one set of ending its drought against the Rams.

"I was also really pleased with how our team handled the pressure in those close situations," added Carver. "They did a great job of being aggressive when the opportunity presented itself and then playing smart when the ball was out of system.

"I think the number of close sets we've played this season also helped us earn this important win. Some we've won and some we've lost, but in every case we've gained valuable experience and learned what it takes to win those closely contested sets. Today, those lessons were put into practice."

Set 3: John Brown spent much of the third playing from in front, taking an early 6-3 lead after kills from Carlson, Hyke and Montgomery. Texas Wesleyan later erased a four-point deficit to tie the set at 9-9, but Tucker immediately restored the JBU advantage before Carlson's ace capped another four-point run for a 13-9 cushion.

The Rams again refused to go quietly, pulling within 13-12 before Hyke began to take over. After Texas Wesleyan closed within 15-14, Hyke put away three consecutive kills to push John Brown's advantage back to 18-14. The Rams answered one final time, scoring four unanswered points to draw even at 18-18 and force a Golden Eagle timeout.

John Brown's response proved decisive. Montgomery broke the tie with a kill, a Texas Wesleyan attack error followed, and Bowman landed her fourth ace of the afternoon before Montgomery struck again to complete a four-point answer and send JBU ahead 22-18. The Rams trimmed the margin to two, but a service error and bad set moved the Golden Eagles to match point before Carlson finished the afternoon with a kill for the 25-20 victory and the sweep.

"We're still a team in process," said Carver. "I'm very pleased with the effort our young ladies have been putting in to improve our execution on the court while also strengthening our team chemistry and will to win. While this is definitely a big win for us at this point in the season and one we can be very proud of, there's still a long way to go and a lot of competitive volleyball left to play during the conference season."

The Blue and Gold returns home Friday evening (Sept. 18) to welcome Wayland Baptist (Texas) to Bill George Arena for a 6 p.m. conference contest. The matchup will be simulcast live on Urban Edge Network and the SAC Sports Network.

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