The unranked Wayland Baptist Pioneers opened their season with an upset win over #12 Olivet Nazarene University in the first match of the 2010 Coca-Cola Classic. Senior Desiree Luevano had 16 kills to lead the way for WBU, which swept the match, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21.

A pleased Pioneer coach Jim Giacomazzi said after the match that he wasn't surprised by the upset, crediting his team with a lot of hard work over the past few weeks.

"We have a great core group, and they have really put out a lot of effort, the past two weeks particularly, to get ready for this season. I was pleased with our two new people - Kate and Tatiana - and I thought Dez played her best game since she's been here. She had a great work ethic in the off-season, and I think tonight she was rewarded for that effort."

The visiting Tigers scored the first three points of the evening, but Wayland crept back in it, eventually tying the score at five on back-to-back kills by Jennifer Wyatt and Luevano. ONU then took a 6-5 lead on a ball-handling error by the Pioneers, but WBU reeled off six straight to take control.

The second set was much closer. Wayland eventually went up 24-19 on a kill by junior college transfer Tatiana Gonzalez. ONU rallied to close it to 24-23, but Kate Trejos got the ball down for the set-winner.

The Pioneers found themselves on the low end of the scoreboard for much of the third set, until consecutive kills by Luevano made it 18-18. After Tiger setter Rachel Raynor got a point to give her team the lead once again, WBU recorded three straight kills by Wyatt, Kimberli Harger, and Luevano to grab the advantage for good.

"Our team showed a lot of character tonight," added Giacomazzi, "especially during that third set when we played from behind. We got back in it by making some really good plays and not letting the ball hit the floor."

Wayland was led on defense by Anika Voigt, a senior, who had 13 digs, and Gonzalez who had 11. Voigt also handed out a match-high 41 assists.

Trejos joined Luevano with double digits in kills with ten. Molly Goldbach had nine kills for the Tigers, and DeeAn Garvin and Katherine Hozian posted ten digs each.

The Pioneers outhit their opponent .336 to .205. Luevano had a .500 hitting percentage, registering just one error in her 30 kill attempts. ONU had the advantage at the net with three blocks. Wyatt was credited with Wayland's only block of the evening.

Day two of the College Division of the Coke Classic begins at 1:30 pm with a matchup between two ranked teams, #22 Lubbock Christian against Olivet Nazarene. WBU takes to the court again at 7:30 pm with a match against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University of Arizona.