SALINA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- Junior outside hitter
Lexi Kite (Thornton, Colo., Prairie View HS) posted a double-double for McPherson College, but the Bulldogs fell to Kansas Wesleyan University in four sets (22-25, 25-17, 25-16, 26-24) Friday night in front of a raucous crowd at Mabee Arena.
The Bulldogs (7-5, 3-3 KCAC) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first set, only to see the Coyotes (9-5, 4-1 KCAC) storm back to tie the match at 7-all. A 4-0 run on the serve of Hannah Reynolds gave Kansas Wesleyan a small cushion, but McPherson responded to retake the lead at 19-18 on a kill by
Leia Seiler (Fort Lupton, Colo., Fort Lupton HS) and again at 21-20 on a Kite service ace. The teams traded points to move the score to 22-22 before the Bulldogs broke through for the final three points in the set on a pair of kills by
Riley Bradbury (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Rock Canyon HS) sandwiched around a block by Bradbury and
Devrie Sombers (Colorado Springs, Colo., Pinecreek HS).
Kansas Wesleyan opened the second set with a 7-2 run, prompting a timeout from McPherson coach
Jessica Cleveland. The Bulldogs responded well out of the timeout, cutting the lead to three at 11-8 before the Coyotes rattled off seven straight points to push the lead to double digits at 18-8. McPherson committed six attack errors in the 7-0 KWU run. With the Coyotes leading the set, 24-13, the Bulldogs fought off four set points before Alleigh Weems broke through with a kill to end the set and tie the match.
After a fairly even start to the third set, KWU used another 7-0 run to turn a 9-7 deficit into a 14-9 lead. McPherson would get no closer than four points the rest of the way with the Coyotes scoring seven of the final nine points to close out the set. The hosts posted a .325 attack percentage in the set with 15 kills and just two attack errors. The Bulldogs had 12 kills but also committed nine attack errors.
Four KWU attack errors early in the fourth set staked McPherson to a 4-1 lead but the Coyotes responded with a 4-0 run of their own to retake the lead. The teams traded the lead back-and-forth, pushing the score to 10-10 before Kansas Wesleyan was able to grab the momentum with another 4-0 run sparked by a pair of Kortney Cunningham kills. The Bulldogs took the next four rallies to draw even at 14-14. From there, the lead half a dozen times before McPherson grabbed a 24-23 lead on a block by Sombers and
Bree Wallace (Wichita, Kan., East HS) to give the Bulldogs a set point and an opportunity to tie the match, prompting a timeout from KWU head coach Fred Aubuchon. The Coyotes responded out of the timeout by taking the next three points to close out the match.
Kite finished with 20 kills and 14 digs to lead the Bulldogs. Seiler just missed double digits in kills with nine, while Bradbury added seven and Wallace six.
Morgan Little (Las Vegas, Nev., Hutchinson CC) had 23 assists, while Jamie Siess had a match-high 28 digs.
KWU finished with three players with double-digit kills, led by 14 from Hannah Reynolds. Reynolds also had seven block assists and an ace. Valerie Most also had a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs, while Kelsey Plummer had 11 kills and seven blocks, including a pair of solo put-backs. Paige Johnson led the Coyotes defensively with 21 digs.
Kansas Wesleyan finished with 14 blocks overall, compared to McPherson's four.
Memories will need to be short for the Bulldogs, who turn around and travel to Wichita on Saturday to face Friends University. First serve for the varsity match is slated for 3 p.m.
