KWU Athletics
The Kansas Wesleyan volleyball team is on a roll.
The Coyotes ran their winning streak to seven matches with a pair of 3-0 victories over Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) and Southwestern in their triangular on Saturday inside Mabee Arena. It was their third sweep of the weekend after they opened Kansas Conference play with a 3-0 victory over Sterling on Friday in Sterling.
KWU defeated Hannibal-LaGrange 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 Saturday morning then swept aside Southwestern 25-14, 25-13, 25-8 in a non-conference match Saturday afternoon.
The Coyotes improved to 14-4 on the season.
Elizabeth Hardacre, Morgan Bryand and Rylee Serpan posted double digits kills and KWU had a .333 hitting percentage in the victory over Hannibal-LaGrange. Hardacre had 11 kills and hit .579, Bryand also had 11 kills and hit .345 while Serpan, a freshman, finished with 10 kills on a .375 percentage. Josie Deckinger had 68 assists and Cortney Hanna 22.
The defense was superb with 14 block assists – Hardacre with five and three solo blocks – and Hannibal-LaGrange hit .177. Maddy Beckett had 18 digs and Kelcey Hund 10.
Hannibal-LaGrange led the first set 14-13 but the Coyotes took control with a 7-1 burst. Hannibal-LaGrange got within 20-18 but three consecutive KWU points ended the suspense.
KWU bolted to a 10-4 lead in the second set but Hannibal-LaGrange rallied and trailed 20-17 before the Coyotes scored the next four points and won the set on a Serpan kill.
The third set was a battle throughout. Leading 20-18 KWU scored four of the next five points – match point coming on a Hannibal-LaGrange attack error.
The Coyotes' attack sizzled again against Southwestern as they hit at a .321 percentage. Serpan led the way 13 kills on a .565 percentage; Bryand had eight kills and hit .316; and Melinna Schumann and Beckett had six kills apiece, Schumann hitting .417. Deckinger had a team-best 74 assists, Hanna 19 and Schumann 14.
Schumann led the defense with 22 digs while Deckinger had 13. The Moundbuilders hit at a -.033 percentage.
Leading 9-6 in the first set the Coyotes pulled away with a 10-2 surge then closed out the match with a 4-1 run – match point coming on a Serpan kill.
The Coyotes led the second set 15-11 before taking control with a 6-0 burst and closed it by scoring the final three points.
KWU had a 12-6 lead in the third set but quickly made it a rout with a 7-0 run followed by a final 6-2 surge.
The Coyotes resume conference play Wednesday when York comes to Mabee Arena for a 7 p.m. match. They travel to Lindsborg on Friday for a match against the rival Swedes at 7 p.m. in Hahn Gymnasium.