Volleyball Falls to Friends in Straight Sets

WICHITA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College volleyball team suffered its second straight 3-0 defeat Wednesday, falling to Friends University, 25-20, 25-18, 25-20, in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) match at Garvey Physical Education Center.

The Falcons (6-8, 4-2 KCAC) scored the first four points of the match and looked poised to run away with things after building a 19-8 lead, but the Bulldogs (9-5, 3-3 KCAC) rallied to score 12 of the next 14 points to cut the deficit to just one at 21-20. Friends was able to close out the set behind a Madalyn Swinicki kill and three straight McPherson errors.

The second set started out much more evenly than the first with the Bulldogs holding an early 6-5 lead. The Falcons responded with a 6-1 run to grab an 11-7 advantage. Friends continued to build the lead, eventually leading by seven at 23-16. McPherson scored consecutive points to make it a five-point lead, but the hosts wrapped up the set on back-to-back kills by AJ Cossell.

Friends used a 7-3 run midway through the third set to turn a 7-7 tie into a 14-10 lead. McPherson cut the lead to just two on a handful of occasions but could get no closer, finishing the match on a 4-1 run.

The Falcons racked up a 48-36 advantage in kills between three players in double-digits en route to the sweep while outhitting the Bulldogs, .306 to .154. 

Jocelyn Cochran (Newton, Kan.) led McPherson with nine kills and 13 digs. She also had one of the Bulldogs' four aces. Lexi Kite (Thornton, Colo.) added seven kills and three digs and Jessica Sanders (Rhome, Texas) had six kills.

Kaitlyn Heinis (Oviedo, Fla.) had five digs and an ace to go with a team-high 17 assists, while Morgan Little (Las Vegas, Nev.) added 10 assists, three digs and an ace. Emily Warner (Wichita, Kan.) added 12 digs.

A total of six Friends players tallied kills with Madalyn Swinicki leading all players with a match-high 12 - without an error - on 24 total attacks. Megan Bohn and AJ Cossell added 11 each, while Ashleigh Hunter had nine. Jana Boston had 41 of the Falcons' 44 assists while also posting 10 digs and three block assists. 

Andrea Kappelman led all players defensively with 20 digs.

The Bulldogs play their second of four consecutive road matches Saturday when they make the trek to Ottawa to face the league-leading Braves (10-5, 5-0 KCAC). First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.