OTTAWA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan extended its winning streak to five matches as the Coyotes won both matches played at an event hosted by Ottawa University on Saturday at Wilson Field House.
The Coyotes knocked off No. 12 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in four sets, and defeated William Woods in four sets.
Rylee Serpan was a dominant force for the Coyotes in both matches, tallying 27 kills, a new career high in the win over Bellevue, hitting .429 along the way.
Against Bellevue, the Coyotes broke free of an 18-all tie in the opening set, scoring three straight points to take a 21-18 lead. The advantage was enough as the Coyotes got the 25-21 win in the set.
KWU led 4-1 in the second set, and every time the Bruins challenged, the Coyotes answered, pulling out to a 24-17 lead in the set, before closing it out.
Wesleyan led 7-3 in the third, but Bellevue came back taking a 16-13 lead before the Coyotes drew back even at 18-all. KWU led 22-20 in the set, but Bellevue scored the final five points to get the win.
KWU led 13-6 in the fourth, before Bellevue got back within two points at 13-11. Back came the Coyotes, scoring the next seven to take a 20-11 lead as the Coyotes closed out the match.
Kylee Harris added 13 kills for the Coyotes in the match. Josie Deckinger had 48 assists and 12 digs. Kelcey Hund had 33 digs, and Serpan added 10. Kyla Moore had four blocks and six kills.
Against William Woods, the Coyotes would come away with the four set win.
KWU led 5-4 in the first before scoring three in a row to take an 8-4 lead. WWU came back and tied it at 11 before the Coyotes grabbed the lead back on kills by Harris and Serpan. Woods took a 17-15 lead when the Coyotes responded with seven straight points to take a 22-17 lead on the way to the first set win.
The Coyotes led 10-9 in the second, only to see William Woods come back and take a 15-11 lead. The Coyotes were back within two at 22-20 before WWU scored the final three points to take the second set.
The teams went back and forth in the third. WWU led 9-7 and extended its lead to 14-10 when KWU came back and tied it up at 18-all and took a 19-18 lead on Serpan's kill.
The Owls took a 21-19 lead and led 22-20 when KWU scored the next four to lead 24-22. After a Woods point, the Coyotes closed out the set 25-23.
Wesleyan sped out to an early lead in the fourth set, only to see Woods come back and tie it at 8 in the set. KWU scored the next two and held the Owls at just enough distance to come away with the match win.
Serpan again paced the Coyotes with 19 kills hitting .255 in the match. Deckinger had 44 assists. Hund had 40 digs. Serpan added five blocks and Moore and Sarah Girard had four each.
The Coyotes return home on Wednesday, hosting McPherson College at 7 p.m. inside Mabee Arena.