Volleyball gets win over Bethel in four games
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Sarah Claborn puts down one of her 32 kills during game three of Wesleyan's four game win over the Bethel Threshers on Saturday

Kansas Wesleyan earned its thirteenth straight win with a four game victory – 30-14, 30-20, 27-30, 30-17 – over the Bethel Threshers on Saturday afternoon at Muir Gymnasium. The win puts Wesleyan up two games in the conference standings over rival Bethany with two matches remaining, assuring the Lady Coyotes of no less than a share of the KCAC Regular Season Volleyball championship when the regular season concludes next week.

Junior Sarah Claborn continued her phenomenal week for the Lady Coyotes, as she recorded a school record 32 kills, breaking her own mark that was set on September 29 against Bethel earlier this season.

Wesleyan jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first game, forcing a Bethel timeout. A tip kill out of the break by Bethel got the Threshers back within five at 10-5. Wesleyan’s offense then exploded, sparked by a kill by Whitney DuBois, scoring nine of the next ten points to take a 19-6 lead on an ace by Kolby Rhoades.

The Threshers broke the run with two straight points, but the Wesleyan attack wasn’t over yet. A Bethel service error got Wesleyan back on serve and the Lady Coyotes ran off seven of the next eight points to pull out to a 26-9 lead.

The Lady Coyotes would take game one 30-14 on an ace.

Bethel (18-10, 12-4) jumped out to a 3-1 lead in game two, and led again at 4-3, but Wesleyan turned up the pressure and blew the game wide open. An 8-1 run capped by a kill by Rhoades would give the Lady Coyotes an 11-5 lead. Bethel would score two straight, before Rhoades would sandwich an ace around two kills for three straight points to put the Lady Coyotes up 14-7. Bethel would score two more in a row, before giving the ball back to Wesleyan on an attack error by Autumn Knox. Bethel would score the next point before KWU would blow the game wide open on the heels of a 7-1 run that included four kills by Claborn.

The Threshers would get within six at 26-18 when Rhoades’ push to the back corner was long, but a DuBois kill followed by back-to-back aces from Ashley Winters would set up game point. Bethel would get two in a row before Rhoades would close game two 30-20 for Wesleyan.

Game three would start out as a see saw affair, only to see Bethel take a big lead midway through the game. With Wesleyan leading 10-9, the Threshers would use an 8-1 run to go up 17-11 to force a KWU timeout. The Lady Coyotes would rally, getting within two at 24-22, but three straight by Bethel would put them up five. KWU would make things interesting, getting back within three, but could get no closer as Bethel took game three 30-27.

Game four started out a lot like game three, with both teams trading points. Wesleyan would tie it at 10-all on a service error by Kristen Schrag, but give the lead to Bethel on a service error. Claborn would step up and tie it at 11-all, sparking a 4-0 run to take a 15-11 lead. Another Wesleyan service error would break the run, and Bethel would get as close at 17-15 when the Lady Coyotes took the game over.

Rhoades would get a kill, followed by two straight Claborn kills sparking a 13-2 game ending run that game the Lady Coyotes the 30-17 win in game four.

Claborn’s 32 kills led Wesleyan (22-7, 15-1), while Rhoades added 18 and DuBois had seven. DuBois added a team high four aces, while Rhoades had three and Winters added two. Rhoades led the Lady Coyotes with 23 digs while Claborn had 22 and Karissa Kent pitched in 21. DuBois led the Wesleyan blockers with one solo and three assisted blocks.

The Lady Coyotes are back in action in the final regular season home game on Tuesday against McPherson at 7 p.m., and wrap up the regular season on the road at Ottawa on Thursday.

-- KWU SI --