Kansas Wesleyan Women's Volleyball played its first home match in three weeks and the Coyotes would make the home fans happy upon the return as KWU won a thrilling five-set match over the Saint Mary Spires on Saturday at Mabee Arena.
The first three sets were decided by two points, with two of them needing volleyball's version of overtime to determine a winner. Saint Mary won the first 26-24, followed by 25-23 and 27-25 wins for the Coyotes. Saint Mary won the fourth 25-15 before the Coyotes bounced back and claimed the deciding set 15-11.
In the opening set, the Coyotes raced out to a 6-1 lead and held onto the lead at 16-13 when Saint Mary made a move. The Spires scored the next five points to take an 18-16 lead. Saint Mary's lead grew to 22-18 and the Spires had set point at 24-20 when the Coyotes rallied. A kill by Ivi Marcolino sparked a 4-0 KWU rally that tied the set at 24-all. Saint Mary would score the final two points of the set to win the first.
The second set was tied 6-6 when Saint Mary scored the next five points to take an 11-6 lead. Wesleyan answered right back with its own 6-0 run capped by a block by Avery Conner and Ryan Pennington to give the Coyotes a 12-11 lead. The Coyotes led 19-17 after a block by Camryn Lewis and Blair Pennington but Saint Mary scored the next three to lead 20-19. USM led 21-20 when the Coyotes scored the next three to take a 23-21 lead and had set point at 24-22 before claiming the set on Ryan Pennington's kill.
Four points was the biggest margin for either team in the third set when Saint Mary led 18-14. The Coyotes would make a run after that scoring the next four points to tie the set at 18 on a service ace by Paitlynn Martin. Saint Mary took a 22-20 lead in the set but the Coyotes scored the next three to take a 23-22 lead. The next two went to Saint Mary for a chance at set point. But the Coyotes would turn things in their favor scoring the next two to have a set point try at 25-24. The Spires tied it at 25, but kills by Aidyn Lagergren and Camryn Lewis would get the win for the Coyotes.
Saint Mary controlled the fourth set for a 25-15 win as the Coyotes could not keep momentum going.
Saint Mary led 6-3 to start the final set but the Coyotes came back to take a 10-7 lead on a 5-0 run. A block by Conner and Marcolino gave the Coyotes match point at 14-9, but Saint Mary scored the next two before Ryan Pennington's kill would give the match to the Coyotes.
Ryan Pennington had a career high 21 kills leading the Coyotes to victory, while Marcolino had 17 and Lagergren added 13. Blair Pennington had 47 aces and 10 digs. Campbell Bohling had 23 digs while Tristyn Hedman had 17 and Ryan Pennington had 16.