OTTAWA – Kansas Wesleyan Volleyball continued its busy stretch of matches on Tuesday, facing the Ottawa Braves in a Kansas Conference contest at Wilson Field House. Ottawa would win the match in four sets – 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20.

The Coyotes jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the first set, but Ottawa came back to tie the set at 12-all. A kill by Elizabeth Hardacre (SO/Kensington, Kan.) put the Coyotes back in the lead at 13-12, but Ottawa would build as much as a 19-16 lead in the set. Ottawa led 21-17 before the Coyotes got back within a point at 22-21, forcing an Ottawa timeout. Out of the break, the Braves would score the final three points to win the first set.

Ottawa jumped out to an early lead in the second set leading by three points at 13-10. The Coyotes got back within a point on an Ottawa error, but the Braves responded scoring six of the next seven to take a 19-13 lead in the set.

Back came the Coyotes. A kill by Chelsea James (SO/Wichita, Kan.) got things started as the Coyots got within two at 22-20 on a kill by Morgan Bryand (SO/Wichita, Kan.). A block by Alexis Utz (FR/Kansas City, Mo.) and Maddy Beckett (SO/Halstead, Kan.) got the Coyotes within a point and back-to-back kills by Utz put Wesleyan in the lead 24-23. Carlee Becker (SR/Henderson, Nev.) would record a kill to close out the set in favor of the Coyotes.

Wesleyan pushed out to a 10-6 lead in the third set, but Ottawa came back to tie things at 18-all. Wesleyan took a 21-19 lead in the set, but Ottawa scored the final six points of the set to win 25-21 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Coyotes led 11-5 in the fourth set, but eight straight points by the Braves gave Ottawa a 13-11 lead in the set. A kill by Bryand got the Coyotes back on the offensive as the Coyotes scored the next four points to take a 15-13 lead.  Ottawa scored the next four, taking a 17-15 lead, before the Coyotes scored four of the next five to regain a 19-18 advantage.

The Braves took a 20-19 lead before a kill by Beckett tied things at 20-all. Ottawa would then go on a run, scoring the final five points to close the set and match.

Hardacre led the Coyotes with 15 kills, while Beckett and Bryand had 13 each. The Coyotes hit .133 for the match. Cortney Hanna (SO/Lawrence, Kan.) had 33 assists and Josie Deckinger (FR/Wichita, Kan.) added 13. Emily Monson (SO/Cheney, Kan.) had 25 digs and Beckett had 13. Hardacre had four blocks in the match.

The Coyotes are back in action on Friday evening, heading to Sterling to take on the Warriors in a KCAC match. The JV will play at 5:30, followed by the varsity match at 7 p.m. at the Gleason Center.