Volleyball tripped up by (RV) Doane in four sets

By KWU Athletics Release August 25, 2022

CRETE, Neb. – Kansas Wesleyan Volleyball suffered its first loss of the young 2022 season on Wednesday night as the Coyotes were beaten by the Doane University Tigers in four sets at the Haddix Center.

 

Doane, who is receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Poll, won 25-20, 25-18, 24-26, 25-17.

 

The Coyotes held a 6-4 lead in the opening set, but Doane scored the next four points to take an 8-6 lead. Wesleyan answered back scoring the next three to take a 9-8 lead on a kill by Rylee Serpan (FR/Spring Hill, Kan.). An 8-3 run by Doane gave the Tigers a 16-12 lead which would extend to 22-17 and a margin too great for the Coyotes to rally from.

 

Doane scored the first three points of the second set, but the Coyotes came back and took a 4-3 lead, only to see the Tigers take the lead back and go up 10-6. A block by Alexis Utz (JR/Kansas City, Mo.) and Josie Deckinger (JR/Wichita, Kan.) stopped Doane’s run, but the Tigers pushed out to a 13-8 lead in the set. A kill by Morgan Bryand (SR/Wichita, Kan.) momentarily stopped the Doane run before the Tigers would extend the lead to 17-9 in the set and would win it 25-18.

 

Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead in the third set 5-1, and held the lead until Doane tied it up at 12-12. A kill by Elizabeth Hardacre (SR/Kensington, Kan.) kept the lead with the Coyotes who held the advantage by as many as three points at 18-15 until the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to take a 21-18 lead. Not to be denied, the Coyotes answered back, going on a 5-0 run of their own to take a 23-22 lead on a block by Maddy Beckett (SR/Halstead, Kan.) and Hardacre. Doane tied it twice at 23 and 24, before the Coyotes closed out the set with with two straight points.

 

Doane closed out the match winning the final set 25-17.

 

Becket led the Coyotes with 16 kills in the match and added 15 digs. Kelcey Hund (JR/Leavenworth, Kan.) had 25 digs in the match while Josie Deckinger had 36 assists and 15 digs. Hardacre had five blocks in the match while Beckett and Utz had three each.

 

The Coyotes are back in action this weekend in the Hastings College Classic in Hastings, Neb.