CANYON, Texas (Sept. 19) – TWU senior Hillary Shaffer posted a game-high 12 kills to help the Pioneers sweep the host West Texas A&M Saturday afternoon in Canyon, TX.  TWU won 25-14, 27-25, and 25-19 to improve its record to 8-2 on the season and 2-0 in the conference.
 
The win is the first at the WTAMU Fieldhouse "The Box" for the Pioneers in school history and also snapped a 24-game losing streak against the Lady Buffs.  West Texas A&M was on a 38-match LSC regular-season win streak prior to the four-set loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday, Sept. 18 and hasn't been swept by a conference team at home in recent history.
 
Shaffer finished the game with a .524 hitting percentage, recording 12 kills on 21 attempts and just one error.  Freshman Makayla Mayfield added 11 kills and seven digs while junior Sara Oxford finished with six kills and seven digs.  Junior Mallory Kuechle led the game with 16 digs and senior Torie Talkington posted 11 digs.  Senior Joey Redwine ran the offense and assisted on 34 kills.
 
In the opening set the Pioneers turned a 6-6 score into a 19-7 advantage with a 13-1 run.  TWU scored 10 straight points during the run on Oxford's serve.  With the Pioneers leading 24-10, West Texas A&M scored four straight points but a kill by sophomore Briley Cole ended the set.
 
In the second set both teams went back and forth with neither team leading by more than three points.  After 18 ties and seven lead changes, the Pioneers erased a set point to even the score at 24-24 and then went on a 3-1 run to close out the set.
 
In the third set TWU jumped out to a 10-3 lead and was up 14-8 before the Lady Buffs made a run.  WTAMU went on a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to two points but the Pioneers responded with three straight points.  The Lady Buffs again cut the deficit to two points but TWU closed out the game with a 6-2 run.
 
"We played great from start to finish and I couldn't have written a better script," said TWU head coach Shelly Barberee.  "We dominated the first set with a big run and then it was back and forth in the second.  We were able to hold them off on the set point and then carried the momentum into the third.  This is a great win."
 
The Pioneers will return to Denton to host the Lone Star Conference home opener on Tuesday, Sept. 22 against Tarleton State.  First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.