Coyotes end three match skid with sweep of Ottawa
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kelli Berg serves during game three of the Coyotes 3-0 sweep of Ottawa on Tuesday night.

Kansas Wesleyan rebounded from a three match skid and swept the Ottawa Braves 30-24, 30-24, 30-20 on Tuesday night at Muir Gym.

Following a short pre-match practice, the Coyotes came out ready to play, and play they did. After starting game one as back and forth affair, with neither team able to take a solid lead, Kelli Berg took serve trailing 9-7, and reeled off seven straight service points to take a 14-9 lead, prompting an Ottawa timeout. Following the break, Ottawa rallied, getting within one at 14-13, before Wesleyan put a short three point run to take a 17-13 lead. Leading 19-14, the Coyotes let Ottawa rally and tie things at 19, before retaking a 21-19 lead that would stick the remainder of the game. Wesleyan took the lead 24-23, and Berg again served five straight points for the Coyotes as they outscored the Braves 7-1 to end the first game with a 30-24 win.

“We seemed out of sync the last three matches,” KWU coach Gordon Reimer said. “They were all tough losses to the top teams in the conference. We decided to change things up a little tonight with the pre-match practice, which allowed the players to focus tonight.”

Game two was all Wesleyan as they jumped out to a 10-3 lead and never looked back. The Braves never got any closer than three, once at 18-15, and again at 26-23. The Coyotes used a 4-1 run to close out the second game 30-24.

Game three looked at first like it was going to be a repeat of the first, as both teams went back and forth through the first 12 points, tied at 6-all. Then the Wesleyan offense exploded again, after a point to get serve, Whitney DuBois used a powerful jump serve for back-to-back aces, sparking a 5-0 KWU run to give them an 11-6 lead, forcing another Ottawa timeout. After an Ottawa point, Wesleyan opened its lead with another 6-1 run to take a commanding 17-8 lead. Wesleyan pushed the lead to 26-15, before giving up three straight points to Ottawa. KWU had match point at 29-19, but DuBois’s kill was blocked by Ottawa to set the score at 29-20. Kolby Rhoades finished the match with a powerful kill past Ottawa libero Laura Jeannin for the final point, giving the Coyotes the 30-20 win.

Reimer felt his team played well tonight, and that everything was set up by the play of the passers. “We passed exceptionally well tonight (only two errors in the match), which gave the setters the opportunity to make great sets for the hitters to hit the ball.”

Rhoades led the offensive attack for Wesleyan (9-10, 4-4) with 12 kills, while Kristal Griffeth added 11. Freshman Landree MacLennan had 28 assists for the Coyotes. Berg led the servers with three aces, and Naomi Hobayan had 15 digs to go along with a perfect passing night (zero errors in 23 passes) to lead the Coyotes.

“It’s a big relief to end that losing streak,” Reimer said. “It was nice to go out and beat Ottawa, a team that was tied for third in the conference. It gives us a lot of confidence heading into the second round of conference play next week.”

Wesleyan finishes the first round of KCAC play on Thursday at Saint Mary, before traveling to Sterling next Monday.

-- KWU SI --