YORK, Neb. – Kansas Wesleyan racked up 49 kills and hit .279 as a team as the Coyotes picked up their first Kansas Conference win in a straight set sweep over the York Panthers – 25-20, 25-9, 25-18 on Tuesday night at the Freeman Center.
In the first set, the Coyotes had 21 kills out of the 25 points scored while hitting .298 as a team in the set. Wesleyan added 13 more kills in the second set while hitting an impressive .545 in the set. KWU added 15 more kills in the third set while hitting .119.
The Coyotes jumped out to a 3-1 lead to open the match in the first set, but York came back to take a 4-3 lead. Morgan Bryand (JR/Wichita, Kan.) recorded a kill to get things going for the Coyotes who scored the next five points to take an 8-4 lead in the set.
Another kill by Bryand got the Coyotes out to a 17-10 lead in the set, and KWU led 20-13 before the Panthers got back within four at 24-20. Cortney Hanna (JR/Lawrence, Kan.)’s setter dump kill would give the first set to the Coyotes.
Wesleyan jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set and led 11-6 when the Coyotes rolled off six straight points behind the serve of Allisan McGowan (JR/Pratt, Kan.) and strong play at the net by Melinna Schumann (FR/Sabetha, Kan.), James and Elizabeth Hardacre (JR/Kensington, Kan.) to push the lead out to 17-6. Leading 20-8, the Coyotes got four straight before York scored again and the Coyotes would take the set on a York error.
It was 1-1 in the third set when the Coyotes got a kill by Hardacre to spark a 7-0 run that made it 8-1 in the set. Wesleyan led 19-8 on a service ace by Emily Monson (SR/Cheney, Kan.), but York would score four straight to make it 19-12 before the Coyotes scored again. A kill by James gave Wesleyan match point, but the Coyotes had to fight off three challenges by the Panthers before Hardacre’s solo block would end the match.
Hardacre was nearly unstoppable over the middle with 11 kills while hitting .563 for the match. She also had a solo and an assisted block. Bryand was overpowering outside for the Coyotes with 10 kills while hitting .600 for the match (15 attempts, 1 error).
Hanna had 20 assists, and Josie Deckinger (SO/Wichita, Kan.) had 26. Maddy Beckett (JR/Halstead, Kan.) added nine kills and three other Coyotes – Malia Mack (JR/Joplin, Mo.), Schumann and James – had six each. Monson finished with 18 digs in the match and two aces. Schumann had 10 digs as well.
The Coyotes head to Bourbonnais, Illinois this weekend, just south of Chicago, to play in the ONU Holiday Inn Tournament at Olivet Nazarene University. KWU plays Trinity Christian and Olivet Nazarene on Friday, and Lincoln Christian and Judson on Saturday.
KWU returns home and steps back into KCAC play next Wednesday hosting Avila.
