HASTINGS, Neb. – Kansas Wesleyan Women’s Volleyball splits its two matches on the second day of the Hastings Classic at Lynn Farrell Arena at Hastings College. The Coyotes fell in four sets to Presentation College, and defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State in four sets.

PRESENTATION 3, KWU 1 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 25-20): Kansas Wesleyan dropped a four-set decision to Presentation College in the Coyotes’ first match of the day.

KWU led 13-7 at one point in the first set, but Presentation came back to take the lead 16-14. The Coyotes regained the lead 19-17, but PC tied it at 22 and took the lead scoring the final four points of the set.

Wesleyan led 17-14 in the second set, but PC would again make a run to take a 19-17 lead. The Coyotes tied it on a block by Alexis Utz (JR/Kansas City, Mo.) and Rylee Serpan (FR/Spring Hill, Kan.), and a kill by Serpan gave the Coyotes a 22-21 lead. Wesleyan had a chance to close it out leading 24-22, but Presentation would come away with the set win 26-24.

The third set went back and forth early until the Coyotes turned a 14-12 deficit into an 18-14 lead. Presentation got back within two at 20-18, but got no closer the rest of the way as KWU got the set win.

The fourth set went back and forth again until Presentation pulled away late to a 23-19 lead and would win the set 25-19.

Morgan Bryand (SR/Wichita, Kan.) led the Coyotes with 13 kills, while Elizabeth Hardacre (SR/Kensington, Kan.) added 12. Utz had six assisted blocks and Serpan had a solo and four assisted blocks.

KWU 3, OPSU 1 (25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18): Trailing 9-8 in the first set against Oklahoma Panhandle State, the Coyotes would run off five straight points to take a 13-9 lead on a kill by Hardacre. OPSU tied it at 18-all before the Coyotes ran another four straight points to take a 22-18 lead on the way to the set win.

Wesleyan fell behind in the second set early, but rebounded again, tying it at 9-all and taking the lead 10-9 on a kill by Hardacre. KWU extended its lead out to 13-9 and later pushed the lead out to 21-15 on Maddy Beckett (SR/Halstead, Kan.)’s kill before Chelsea James (SR/Wichita, Kan.) got a kill to end the set.

The third set was tight the entire way. Neither team led by more than three points when OPSU had a 14-11 lead. Wesleyan tied it up at 22, and took a 23-22 lead on a kill by James before OPSU scored the final three points of the set to win.

The Coyotes broke a 14-all tie in the fourth set with a kill by Beckett that helped spark a run that made it 23-16 in the set. A kill from Hardacre closed it out for the Coyotes.

Serpan had a monster match for the Coyotes with 19 kills while hitting .450 for the match. James added 16 kills and Hardacre had 12. KWU had a .309 hitting percentage for the match. Kelcey Hund (JR/Leavenworth, Kan.) had 20 digs in the match, while Cortney Hanna (SR/Lawrence, Kan.) had 14, as did Beckett. Melinna Schumann (SO/Sabetha, Kan.) had 11 digs. Hardacre added seven blocks in the match, three solos.

Up next for the Coyotes is a trip to Florida next week. KWU plays at Warner on Thursday, then plays in the Florida College Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Temple Terrace.

The long-anticipated home opener is September 8 against Friends.