Volleyball | 9/13/2011 9:58:00 PM
Box Score Box Score
McPherson, Kan. – Despite jumping out to an early 1-0 advantage, the McPherson College volleyball team fell in four sets, 25-23, 17-25, 22-25, 20-25, to Kansas Wesleyan University Tuesday night at the McPherson Sport Center.
The loss drops McPherson to 2-8 overall and 1-1 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play, while Kansas Wesleyan improves to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the league.
“Tonight’s match was definitely a tough one,” said McPherson head coach Susan Barton. “Kansas Wesleyan has a talented team, especially with the addition of so many six-foot girls this offseason. We just couldn’t finish strong enough to win the match.”
McPherson opened the match with a hard fought win in set one, 25-23. The Bulldogs trailed by as many as seven points midway through the frame, but outscored the Coyotes 10-5 to knot the score at 18-18. Three kills and a block assist from junior hitter
Natalie Boss (Waterville, Kan.). McPherson overtook the Coyotes for good on another Boss kill, 21-20, before closing out the set on a kill by senior
Kory Hiebert (Goessel, Kan.).
However, Kansas Wesleyan would bounce back to take set two 25-17 behind a .323 team hitting percentage. The victory swung the momentum in the Coyotes favor as they close out the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-20, to take the match.
Hiebert led the Bulldogs with 14 kills and six blocks, while Boss also recorded double-digit kills with 12. Senior middle hitter
Amy Neufeld (Hillsboro, Kan.) added nine kills and four blocks, and senior libero
Brooke Wedel (Moundridge, Kan.) led the MC defense with 27 digs. Sophomore setter
Shelby Yardley (Derby, Kan.) notched 26 assists, while senior setter
Brelynn Schloo (Salina, Kan.) recorded a double-double with 17 assists and 13 digs.
Lauren Chamness led Kansas Wesleyan offensively with 15 kills, while Kelsey Boyles added 11 and Leah Keller had 10 respectively. Pauline Yang led the recorded a team-high 22 digs in the effort.
McPherson will look to bounce back on Thursday night when the Bulldogs travel to defending KCAC champion Friends University. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST) at the Garvey Center in Wichita, Kan.
