HASTINGS, Neb. – Kansas Wesleyan Women’s Volleyball split the second day matches at the Hastings College Classic on Saturday, finishing the event with a 3-1 record for the four matches. The Coyotes opened Saturday’s play with a win over Culver-Stockton, then fell in four sets to host Hastings.
KWU 3, Culver-Stockton 0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-10): The Coyotes got things started on Saturday morning with a sweep of the Culver-Stockton Wildcats.
Rylee Serpan kept her solid start to the season going as she led the way with 11 kills for the Coyotes while freshman Gianna Adriaanse was a perfect 10 for 10 on attacks with a 1.000 attack percenrage. Kylee Harris added seven kills.
After starting out leading 4-0, the Coyotes saw Culver come back and tie the set up at 13-all. Wesleyan then rattled off six straight points to take a 19-13 lead and pushed the lead out to 24-17 on a service ace by Hinamalailena Kua to give KWU set point at 24-17. Culver scored the next three before Serpan’s kill ended it in the set.
Josie Deckinger handed out 34 assists in the match, and added six digs and a pair of assisted blocks. The Coyotes had 57 digs as a team in the match.
Culver took a 6-1 lead to start the second set and let 20-13 when the Coyotes made a run. A kill by Megan Peeler made it 22-19 in favor of Culver but the Wildcats got a point at 23-19. However, it was the last point Culver scored in the set, as KWU scored the final six points of the set to win 25-23.
Kyla Moore had three clocks to lead the Coyote front row defense. Serpan added two service aces in the match. The Coyotes hit .300 overall as a team offensively.
Culver led 3-2 in the third when things turned quickly in favor of the Coyotes. Wesleyan scored 12 of the next 13 points to take a 14-4 lead and never looked back on the way to the 25-10 win to complete the sweep.
Hastings 3, KWU 1 (25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 23-25): In a battle between teams receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Poll, Hastings would come away with a four-set win, all sets decided by five points or less. The loss was the first of the season for the Coyotes, while Hastings stayed unbeaten.
KWU won the first set 25-21, jumping out to an early 10-4 lead. Hastings got back within a point at 19-18 and again at 20-19 before KWU scored five of the last six points to take the set.
The Coyotes led 18-12 in the second set and led 22-18 when Hastings came back and tied it at 22-all. A block by Deckinger and Kyla Moore gave KWU the lead back but Hastings scored the final three points of the set to win 25-23.
The Broncos jumped out to an early 9-4 lead in the third set, but the Coyotes got back within one point at 12-11 before Hastings pushed the lead out to 16-13. Hastings led 16-14 when the Broncos scored four straight to take a 20-14 lead. KWU got back within two at 21-19 but could not complete the rally.
Trailing 6-2 in the fourth, the Coyotes came back and tied it at 6-6 and led 9-8, and 10-9 before Hastings tied it at 10-all. KWU took a 12-10 lead before the Broncos took a 15-13 advantage in the set. Wesleyan battled back scoring the next five to lead 18-15 and led 22-20 before Hastings scored five of the final six to close the match.
Serpan again led the way with 14 kills while Kylee Harris had 13 and Moore added eight. Deckinger had 33 assists and 12 digs in the match. Kelcey Hund had 22 digs. Harris and Sarah Girard had three service aces each. Serpan added 10 digs. Girard had six blocks and Serpan and Moore added five each.
The Coyotes will play in their home opener on Tuesday, taking on Benedictine at 7 p.m. in Mabee Arena.
