DENTON, Texas (Sept. 4, 2022) – While Friday was a two dub day for Texas Woman's volleyball, Saturday was also a two dub day for the Pioneers, marking a four dub-complete sweep weekend for the Pioneers in the Denton Volleyfest.
 
TWU (5-3) built on their winning energy from Friday and continued to roll on Saturday. The Pioneers opened Saturday with a 1 p.m. match against Northwestern Oklahoma State (4-3), sweeping the Rangers in three sets. Then, at 7 p.m., TWU won in five sets against Ouachita Baptist (3-5).
 
The first game was all Pioneers from the first set. In this match, TWU played great defense, while staying locked in to connect for points. TWU won the first set 25-13. Then, the Pioneers continued the dominance in set two with a 25-15 set win
 
After winning the first two sets by 10 or more points, NWOSU found ways to score in the third set, making it a close for TWU, who ended up winning the third and final set 25-23.
 
The Rangers and the Pioneers traded points in the third set, going back-and-forth for the majority of the set. Until, late in the set, the Pioneers put distance between them and Rangers, leading by as much as eight points.
 
After a Tori Woods kills, assisted by Kiana Reed, the Pioneers led 20-12 and looked like they would close the third set the same as the other two sets. Nevertheless, the Rangers went on a four-point run to make it 22-17.
 
Then, following a kill by Sarah Lindley, the Rangers scored five points in a row to tie the match at 23.
 
With the game tied, the Pioneers wasted no time ending the set to complete the sweep. A kill by Lizzy Reed and then a kill from Kaia Saylor, completed the match sweep for the Pioneers.
 
Woods led the Pioneers with a career high 14 kills on a career high 18.5 points. She also added three aces in the match as well.
 
Cara Pool and Yanley Pabon led the defensive game for the Pioneers. Pool led TWU with five blocks, and Pabon added 18 digs.
 
Lizzy Reed topped the Pioneer leader board in assists with 29, following by Kiana Reed who had 13 assists.
 
While the 1 p.m. match was a sweep for the Pioneers, the 7 p.m. match against Ouachita Baptist (TWU's final match of the Denton Volleyfest) went the full extent, as TWU sealed the win in five sets. The match marked just the Pioneers second five set match of the season, and their first five set win of the season.
 
The score was close in the first two sets, but TWU quickly found themselves down 2-0 in sets heading into the third. The Pioneers lost the first two sets by a score of 25-23, before turning the tides and  winning set three 25-23.
 
In set 3, the Pioneers set the tone early, starting the set with a 7-0 run, which included three aces from Lizzy Reed. The scoring went back-and-forth after the Pioneers dominate start, until Ouachita Baptist went on a 6-0 run to tie the set at 23.
 
Nevertheless, a kill from Clayre Pullin and a kill from Sarah Lindley, led the Pioneers to the 25-23 win.
 
Set four, another must win set for the Pioneers, saw TWU down 15-7 in the middle of the set, before pushing a 5-0 run to cut the Tigers lead to three.
 
The scoring traded teams from there, until the Pioneers opened a six-point run, including two kills from Pullin, to take their first lead of the set since the opening point. Then, back-to-back kills by Pullin gave TWU a 23-20 lead, followed by a kill from Trixie Oche to put the Pioneers in a set point situation.
 
OBU scored two more points to make it 24-23, but the Pioneers gritted out the fourth set win off a kill from Woods to force a fifth set.
 
With the energy in KMA rocking, the feeling in the gym was that TWU would win the fifth set from the moment the first serve went up, and that they did.
 
After two aces by Pullin, the Pioneers led 13-5. The Tigers scored two more points before a kill by Oche and a kill by Monica Wood sealed the match win for the Pioneers, 15-7.
 
Lindley led the Pioneers with 14 kills, adding a career high 17 points, six digs and four blocks.
 
Kiya Yeoman finished the match with a career high eight blocks. Lizzy Reed added a career high six aces and tied her career high in assists with 41.
 
Pabon topped the Pioneer leader board in digs with a career high 41.
 
TWU was the only team to remain undefeated in the tournament. Following the conclusion of the Denton Volleyfest, Tori Woods, Lizzy Reed, Kiya Yeoman, Kaia Saylor and Yanley Pabon were all named the All-Tournament Team. Pabon was named Tournament MVP.
 
TWU remains home this week, as they host the LSC Crossover on Sept. 8-10, playing four more matches this week in KMA.
 
Head Coach Jeff Huebner shares his thoughts about the Pioneers weekend sweep: https://youtu.be/vfDg7uoohJU.