Box Score

     DURANT, Okla. - Texas Wesleyan opened its 2003 season with a 30-18, 30-28, 28-30, 30-16 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State Tuesday evening, at Bloomer Sullivan Gym.
     "Tonight we were able to spread the court and run through all of our options," head coach Rick Johansen said. "We are very much ahead of where we were last year at this time."
     The Lady Rams (1-0) hit a combined .224 and held SOSU to a .124 attack efficiency and outdug the Lady Savages, 70-59. Sophomore Rachel Loftin paced Texas Wesleyan with a match-high 20 kills and three blocks. Junior Kat Williams led TWU with 15 digs and freshman Sara Southerland finished with 14 digs. Southerland also had four aces to tie junior Tiffany Porterfield for match-high honors. Junior Courtney Johansen led the Lady Rams with 51 assists.
     "Rachel dominated the net all night," Johansen said. "She stepped up big for us tonight. She proved why she was named conference freshman of the year."
     The Lady Rams took game one, 30-18 on the strength of a .265 hitting percentage while SOSU struggled with a .000 hitting percentage.
     The two teams split games two and three, as neither could pull away from the other until late in each game.
     After dropping game three, the Lady Rams fought back and posted a .325 hitting percentage, their highest of the match, to take game four, 30-16, and close out the match.
     "In game three we really lost our focus," Johansen said. "In game four we were reminded of what we had to do in order to get things accomplished and we did that. It is always good to start the season out with a victory."
     SOSU (1-4) was led Misty Rodenbaugh, who posted a double-double with 10 kills and 16 digs. Ashly English recorded a match-high 17 digs.
     Texas Wesleyan returns to action Friday against conference-rival Texas A&M-International at 7 p.m. The match will be the home opener for the Lady Rams at Sid Richardson Gymnasium. Admission is free.