HUTCHINSON – Kansas Wesleyan picked up wins over Mid-America Christian and John Brown to open the 2021 season on Friday at the KCAC Fall Fling at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The Coyotes beat MACU in five sets 19-25, 25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 15-12 in the first match of the day and needed four sets to beat John Brown 25-14, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20 to improve to 2-0 on the early season.

After dropping the first set to MACU, the Coyotes rallied in the second, taking an 11-6 lead on a kill by Elizabeth Hardacre (JR/Kensington, Kan.). The Coyotes extended the lead out to 14-6 on a Hardacre block.

KWU took a 20-10 lead in the third set on the way to the 25-16 win.

The Coyotes tied the fourth set at 20-20, but could never take the lead as MACU won 26-24.

In the fifth the Coyotes rocketed out to a 7-0 lead in the set and led 11-4 before MACU scored three points to make it 11-7. The Coyotes led 13-7 in the set but four straight from MACU made it 13-11. A kill by Audrey Sineath (SO/Gardner, Kan.) gave KWU match point and block by Sineath and Hardacre closed out the match.

Maddy Beckett (JR/Halstead, Kan.) had 15 kills and Morgan Bryand (JR/Wichita, Kan.) had 10 for the Coyotes. Beckett made it a double-double with 17 digs.

Against John Brown the Coyotes took a 15-7 lead in the opening set and never looked back. The Coyotes led 20-14 before scoring the final five points of the set, the last two coming on service aces by Mackenzie Pease (SR/Manhattan, Kan.).

The Coyotes controlled the second set as well leading 24-19 before allowing JBU to get within a point. Bryand finished the set with a kill.

JBU led 9-7 in the third set, then rattled off seven straight points to take  a 17-8 lead in the set. Trailing 18-8, KWU went on an 8-0 run to get back within two at 18-16. JBU pushed out to a 24-19 lead before taking the set.

KWU led 16-11 in the fourth, but JBU took a 18-16 in the set. The Coyotes rallied, tying it at 19-all as part of a 6-0 run that made it 24-19 on a service ace by Beckett.

Beckett added another 12 kills in the match and 10 digs and three blocks, while Hardacre had nine blocks in the match. KWU had 17 total blocks in the match as a team – 3 solo and 28 assisted. Hardacre added seven kills and Bryand had eight.

The Coyotes face Morningside on Saturday at 11 a.m. to wrap up play in the Fall Fling.