TEXAS WESLEYAN 3-0 IN NATIONAL TOURNEY:

CLINCHES SPOT IN QUARTERFINALS
December 2, 2005

SAN DIEGO, CA:  The Texas Wesleyan University women’s volleyball team (34-4) took a 3-0 win over #5 Missouri Baptist University (35-6) last night at the NAIA National Tournament.  The Lady Rams topped the Lady Spartans 30-26, 31-29, and 30-23.

Game one was very tight, as most competition at the National Tournament has been.  In game two, the Lady Rams nipped the Spartans in a thrilling 31-29 contest.  That game seemed to take the wind out of Missouri Baptist and propelled the Rams to a relatively easy 30-23 win to close out the match.

Rachel Loftin and Misty Tarbet each recorded 15 kills for the Lady Rams.  Whitney Johansen had 40 assists, and Susan Taylor had 29 digs to go with 3 service aces.  Sandra Ayala contributed 13 digs and 7 kills as well.

By blanking both 4th seeded Dordt and 5th seeded Missouri Baptist in yesterday’s action, the Lady Rams improved to 3-0 in Pool D thereby clinching their place in the quarterfinals Friday evening.  Both Dordt and Missouri Baptist, who play each other at 1:15 p.m. on Friday, hold records of 2-1. 

In the worst-case scenario, the Lady Rams would finish pool play with a 3-1 mark; however, they hold the tiebreaker by virtue of head to head record with both Dordt and Missouri Baptist.  The top two teams from each of the four pools advance to quarterfinal action.

Texas Wesleyan will face the host team, Point Loma Nazarene, at 3:30 p.m. on Friday before the quarterfinals begin Friday evening.  This marks the 6th overall and second consecutive appearance in the National Quarterfinals for the Texas Wesleyan Volleyball Program.