ATCHISON, Kan. – Kansas Wesleyan Volleyball faced the Benedictine Ravens on Tuesday night in the Coyotes’ final match before the Friday’s home opener. In a tightly contested match, the Coyotes fell to the Ravens in four sets 26-24, 18-25, 24-26, 20-25 inside Ralph Nolan Gym.

KWU used a brief run in the first set to tie things up at 11-all, but Benedictine would hold onto its lead until KWU broke a 17-all tie with a Raven hitting error and a kill by Elizabeth Hardacre (JR/Kensington, Kan.). Benedictine scored the next five to take a 22-19 lead, but the Coyotes came storming back, tying the set at 23-all and taking a 24-23 lead on a block by Malia Mack (JR/Joplin, Mo.). Benedictine tied it at 24 before the Coyotes closed it out with two points to win the set.

The Coyotes fell behind early in the second set but battled back several times. The Coyotes trailed 16-11 at one point before getting back within two points at 18-16. KWU was within three at 21-18 but the Ravens scored the final four points of the set.

The third set went back and forth, with neither team leading by more than two points the entire set. KWU trailed 23-21 but came back to tie it at 24, but could not close out the set.

KWU led 12-11 in the fourth set, but five straight by Benedictine gave the Ravens a 16-12 lead. KWU battled back again getting within a point at 20-19, but the Ravens scored five of the last six points in the match to close it out.

Morgan Bryand (JR/Wichita, Kan.) had 11 kills on the night while hitting .379 without an attack error. Hardacre added six kills and Maddy Beckett (JR/Halstead, Kan.) had eight. Cortney Hanna (JR/Lawrence, Kan.) had 17 assists and Josie Deckinger (SO/Wichita, Kan.) had 19. Emily Monson (SR/Cheney, Kan.) had 20 digs and Beckett added 11. Hardacre led the front-row defense for the Coyotes with six blocks along with Ryann Kats (SR/Prairie View, Kan.) who also added six.

The Coyotes will open the home portion of the season on Friday night, hosting NCAA Division II Newman at 7 p.m. inside Mabee Arena.