Kansas Wesleyan's array of talent and depth was on display Friday night in the first home volleyball match of the season.
KWU swept Xavier (Louisiana) 25-17, 25-17, 25-18 to the delight of a large and loud student section in the Coyote Classic inside Mabee Arena. The Coyotes improved to 6-2 after opening the season with three matches in Hastings, Nebraska, and four more in San Antonio.
Wesleyan had a .277 hitting percentage on the night while Xavier (1-9) hit just .091 percent. The Coyotes also had six service aces and 46 digs.
"It seemed like we were a rollercoaster team but that evened out a little bit tonight," coach Jessica Biegert said. "We were super aggressive on the serving line, and I thought Kori (Arnold) did a great job getting some big digs up that they hit at us. Otherwise, I think we won by being aggressive."
Rylee Serpan led the attack with 11 kills while hitting. 375 percent, Gianna Adriaanse had 10 and Kylee Harris eight on a .500 hitting percentage. Setter Josie Deckinger had 22 assists. Kyla Moore's four block assists and Arnold's 14 digs led the defense.
Biegert went to her bench often as 15 Coyotes saw action in the match.
"It was fun to see others step in and they didn't look nervous. They did their thing," she said. "I like playing different people, putting them in situations."
Biegert said she is using the non-conference portion of the schedule to see how different combinations might work.
"We've actually customized our lineup just because we have such an untraditional team - two (left-handed hitters), we have one true middle and we have a girl that plays all the way around," she said. "We've got some heavy arms and we've got some talented freshmen that will make their way in there here and there to save us when needed.
"We're just trying to find that rhythm and fine tune little things before we get into (Kansas) Conference (play). I love all the options that I have, that's a good problem as a coach."
KWU took a 5-2 lead in the first set and gradually pulled away - the biggest lead the final score.
The second set was tied 6-6 when the Coyotes took control with eight consecutive points - the last seven with Serpan serving. Xavier got within 21-17 but KWU closed it out with the last four points.
Xavier took a 4-0 lead in the third set, but the Coyotes quickly caught up. Leading 11-10 they pulled away with another 8-0 run, this one with Ella Schmid serving on seven unanswered points. Schmid had four aces on the night.
Biegert and her team enjoyed being in Mabee Arena and the support of the student section, most of them members of the men's basketball team.
"It's tremendous," she said. "It's just fun to see the camaraderie on campus and we'll reciprocate when they're in season. It really it makes the campus a better community.
"Two weekends (on the road) back-to-back and then we're gone the rest of September so we're really just trying to take in all of this in - the crowd, the student section, the parents. We have a barbecue tomorrow. We're really embracing our only home weekend in September."