YORK, Neb. – The Kansas Wesleyan volleyball team is really enjoying this spring regular season thing.
The Coyotes improved to 4-1 since the resumption of the regular season in 2021 with a 25-23, 25-9, 25-20 sweep of the York Panthers on Friday night at the Freeman Center.
Friday's match was originally supposed to be part of a triangular on Saturday in North Newton with Bethel and York, but COVID problems within the Bethel program forced the change of schedule, and venue.
York raced out to a 7-2 lead to open the first set, and led 12-4, but a 9-2 run by the Coyotes started by a kill by Maddy Beckett (SO/Halstead, Kan.) got Wesleyan back within a point at 14-13. A block by Ryann Kats (JR/Prairie View, Kan.) and Elizabeth Hardacre (SO/Kensington, Kan.) drew the set even at 16.
A kill from Beckett gave the Coyotes an 18-17 lead but York came back to claim a 19-18 lead. A service ace from Emily Monson (SO/Cheney, Kan.) tied the set and sparked a three-point run by the Coyotes for a 21-19 lead before taking the set 25-23.
The second set was all Coyotes. KWU jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the set and never looked back. A kill by Morgan Bryand (SO/Wichita, Kan.) extended the lead to 13-3. York got back within a 14-8 score, but nine straight from the Coyotes made it 23-8 on the way to the 25-9 set win.
The third set went back and forth. The Coyotes had a 9-8 lead before York rolled off six straight points to take a 14-9 lead. KWU got back within a point at 16-15 before going down 17-15. That's when things turned for the Coyotes. A kill by Alexis Utz (FR/Kansas City, Mo.) started a five point rally for the Coyotes that made it 20-17 KWU on another Utz kill.
Bryand closed the match with a kill.
Bryand's 10 kills led the offense for the Coyotes. Beckett added nine. Monson had four aces and 20 digs in the match. Cortney Hanna (SO/Lawrence, Kan.) had 12 assists and Josie Deckinger (FR/Wichita, Kan.) had 14.
The Coyotes are scheduled for their first home triangular of the spring next Friday. KWU is scheduled to host Sterling at Saint Mary starting at 3 p.m. inside Mabee Arena.
--kwucoyotes.com--