Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball faced tenth-ranked McPherson on Wednesday night inside Mabee Arena and the Coyotes became the first team in the KCAC this season to take a set from the Bulldogs.
The Coyotes would rally and win the third set 25-16 but ultimately dropped the match 25-9, 25-17, 16-25, 25-18.
Things didn't start well for the Coyotes in the first set as KWU fell behind 4-0 to start and trailed 11-1. The Coyotes just couldn't get things going in the set dropping the set 25-9.
McPherson raced out to a 7-1 lead to start the second set but the Coyotes battled back. KWU trailed 15-6 when the Coyotes put together four straight points capped by Ryan Pennington's service ace to get back within five at 15-10. Another Pennington kill got the Coyotes within six at 22-16 but McPherson was able to win the set 25-17.
In the third, the Coyotes got things going. KWU started out with a 4-1 lead in the set on Avery Conner's solo block and found ways to fend off charges by McPherson throughout. The Bulldogs were within a point of the Coyotes at 13-12 when KWU went on a 6-0 run to push the lead out to 19-12. It was 23-16 when the Coyotes closed out the set with kills by Campbell Bohling and Aidyn Lagergren for the 25-16 win.
McPherson took a 5-1 lead to start the fourth set but the Coyotes didn't falter, instead KWU got back within a point at 5-4 on a kill by Ivi Marcolino. KWU trailed 7-4 before scoring four straight to take an 8-7 lead. KWU led 9-8 on a kill by Giovanna Ishii but McPherson would score the next five to take a 13-9 lead. The Coyotes got back within a point at 14-13 but McPherson used a 7-1 run to take a 21-14 lead. The difference proved to be too much for the Coyotes to overcome, dropping the set 25-18.
Marcolino led the Coyotes with 11 kills, while Ishii had 10 and Bohling had eight. Ishii had 21 assists and 14 digs for a triple-double. Harley Ludacka had 17 assists for the Coyotes and nine digs. Tristyn Hedman had 20 digs and Bohling added 16. Conner had four blocks.