KWU Athletics
The Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes played some pretty efficient volleyball in Thursday night's home opener against the Friends Falcons in a non-conference match-up inside Mabee Arena.
Wesleyan had a .394 attack percentage and racked up 47 kills on the night as the Coyotes came away with a sweep of the Falcons 25-18, 25-21, 25-13.
Elizabeth Hardacre (SR/Kensington, Kan.) had another impressive match with 10 kills on 14 attempts without an error, hitting .714 for the match. Morgan Bryand (SR/Wichita, Kan.)'s 11 kills led the Coyotes, as she hit .290 for the match and freshman Rylee Serpan (FR/Spring Hill, Kan.) had nine kills and hit .500 for the match.
Wesleyan trailed 16-14 in the opening set but quickly turned things around. A kill by Bryand sparked a 7-0 run for the Coyotes that made it a 21-16 score on a Friends hitting error.
Hardacre closed out the set with a kill to give Wesleyan the first set 25-18, as KWU finished it in a 11-2 run.
The Coyotes either trailed or were tied with the Falcons for a majority of the second set. A kill by Hardacre tied the set at 17-all and Maddy Beckett (SR/Halstead, Kan.)'s service ace and a kill by Chelsea James (SR/Wichita, Kan.) put the Coyotes up 19-17.
After a Friends timeout, the Coyotes kept things going, extending the run out to seven points and a 23-17 score in the set on another Hardacre kill. A kill from Bryand gave the Coyotes set point, but Friends scored the next three before Beckett closed out the set with a kill.
The third set was close again to start, as Friends tied it at 11 on back to back aces, but a kill by Bryand turned things around as the Coyotes scored the next five to take a 16-11 lead.
It was 18-13 in favor of the Coyotes when KWU would go on another 7-0 run to close out the match, the final two points coming on blocks by Hardacre, and an assisted block by Serpan and Hardacre.
Kelcey Hund (JR/Leavenworth, Kan.) had 16 digs and three aces for the Coyotes. Beckett added three aces. Cortney Hanna (SR/Lawrence, Kan.) had 20 assists and Deckinger had 19.
The Coyotes get a brief break over the weekend before heading to Ottawa for a triangular on Tuesday with the Braves and Briar Cliff. KWU opens KCAC play on September 16 at Sterling.