HUTCHINSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College volleyball team closed out the KCAC Fall Fling at the Hutchinson Sports Arena with a pair of tough five-set losses to (RV) Kansas Wesleyan University and (RV) Ottawa University on Saturday.
(RV) Kansas Wesleyan def. McPherson, 25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 22-25, 15-9
Kansas Wesleyan won the first two sets of the closely contest match, but McPherson rallied for wins in the third and fourth sets to force a fifth and deciding set.
The Coyotes used a 6-1 run to break clear of the Bulldogs in the final set, turning a 3-3 draw into a 9-4 lead. McPherson drew to within three at 12-9, but KWU took the final three points of the match courtesy three Bulldog attack errors.
McPherson held a 62-61 advantage in kills, but the match was decided at the net where Kansas Wesleyan held a 16-7 edge in blocks.
KWU's Valerie Most led all players with 20 kills, one more than teammate Kelsey Plummer. Plummer also had nine blocks (one solo). Peyton Desormiers had 23 assists and 10 digs.
Lexi Kite (Thornton, Colo., Prairie View HS) led the Bulldogs with 15 kills and 34 digs. She also had two assists.
Riley Bradbury (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Rock Canyon HS) had 14 kills and three digs,
Bree Wallace (Wichita, Kan., East HS) had 11 kills, four digs and four block assists and
Leia Seiler (Fort Lupton, Colo., Fort Lupton HS) added 10 kills.
Rianne Richard (Wichita, Kan., Neosho CC) posted 28 digs,
Jamie Siess (Tecumseh, Kan., Shawnee Heights HS) added 14 and
Morgan Little (Las Vegas, Nev., Hutchinson CC) and
Reven Bradbury (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Rock Canyon HS) had 10 digs each.
(RV) Ottawa def. McPherson, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 25-19, 15-8
McPherson took the first set in the night cap, but struggled in the next two sets as Ottawa grabbed the overall lead.
The Bulldogs won the fourth set, 25-19, to send the match to a fifth set.
The Braves took the first three points in the fifth set, then used another 3-0 run to grab a 7-2 lead. McPherson responded with a 4-1 run to cut the Ottawa lead to three at 10-5.
A pair of McPherson blocks returned the Ottawa lead to three points, but the Braves scored the next four points to set up match point at 14-7. McPherson was able to prolong the match with a kill from Riley Bradbury, but Ottawa picked up a kill from Makayla Aspegren to end the night.
Kite posted another double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs. She also had two block assists. Riley Bradbury added nine kills and five digs, while
Devrie Sombers (Colorado Springs, Colo., Pinecreek HS) posted eight kills.
The Bulldogs posted eight blocks in the match, led by
Mady Woog (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Mountain Vista HS) with six block assists, while Siess racked up a team-high 32 digs. Richard added 15 digs and Little just missed a double-double of her own with 18 assists and nine digs.
Kaylee Whittington led Ottawa with a 15-kill, 22-dig double-double, while Adriana Skipper posted 42 assists and 15 digs. Aspegren had 10 kills and a team-high four block assists.
After five KCAC matches this week, McPherson has just two in the upcoming seven days. The Bulldogs (14-8, 10-6 KCAC) host Bethel College at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening before traveling to Hillsboro on Friday for a 5 p.m. match against rival Tabor College.
