Coyotes get wins over Tabor and York in KWU Triangular
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Sarah Claborn serves in the fifth set of KWU's match against Tabor on Saturday morning in the KWU Triangular

Kansas Wesleyan picked up two big wins on Saturday to finish the week with a 3-1 record, taking out Tabor College in five sets, and making quick work of York College in three sets in the KWU Triangular at Muir Gymnasium.

The Coyotes won 21-25, 25-20, 27-25, 12-25, 15-13 over Tabor and 25-12, 25-15 and 25-21 over York.

Tabor also picked up a three set win over York in the second match of the day 25-15, 25-16 and 25-23.

It took five sets for the Coyotes to pick up their third conference win of the season in the opening match of the morning over Tabor. The first set swung back and forth at the beginning. Tabor was able to take a 5-3 lead on a service error by KWU, but the Coyotes rallied back, taking a 6-5 lead on three straight points led off by kills from Jordyn Rahlf and Kathleen Thomas.

The set remained close until Tabor was able to put together a string of three straight points capped by a block to take a 14-11 lead and force a Coyote timeout. After the break, the Coyotes answered back, using a Danielle Griffis kill to start off a 5-1 run to take a 16-15 lead. The Bluejays regained the lead thanks to five straight capped by a Jordan Crosson kill to take a 20-17 advantage.

The Coyotes did not give in, hanging with the Bluejays to the end despite Tabor winning the first set 25-21.

Wesleyan jumped out to a 6-2 lead in game two and kept the pressure on, pushing the lead to 9-4. Back-to-back blocks by Tabor got the Bluejays back within three at 9-6, but the Coyotes exploded offensively. The Coyotes held a 10-8 lead before exploding, using a service error and back to back Sarah Claborn kills to outscore Tabor 7-2 over the next nine points to take a 17-10 lead. Tabor got three in a row before Wesleyan answered back for three of its own to take a 20-13 lead. The Coyotes had set point at 24-16 but Tabor was able to roll off four in a row before a block gave KWU the win 25-20.

The third set was well played by both teams. Tabor jumped out to a 10-6 lead on an ace by Clancey Kelley. After a point to KWU, the Bluejays outscored the Coyotes 6-2 to push their lead to 16-9 to force a KWU timeout. After the break, The Coyotes got back into the set scoring six of the next seven to get back within three at 17-20. Wesleyan continued its offensive burst, eventually tying the score at 24-all. A tip kill by Tabor just clipped the line to give the Bluejays a chance at set point, but the Coyotes turned to Sarah Claborn for back to back kills, and Griffis fired a ball down to win the third set 27-25.

Set number four was all Tabor, as the Bluejays jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back, pushing its lead to 9-2 and eventually to 20-9 and cruised to a 25-12 win.

The Coyotes turned the tables in the deciding set, jumping out to an 8-3 lead. Tabor would rally, scoring five of the next six points to get back within one at 9-8. Things remained close, until Sarah Claborn put down a kill to take a 12-10 lead. Two points by Tabor tied things up, but Wesleyan got two points to have match point at 14-12. Ashley Cohlmia put down a kill to make it 14-13, but Claborn finished the match with a thunderous kill off the right side to give the Coyotes the five set win.

Claborn led the way with 26 kills and six service aces offensively. Jenn Lee recorded 34 assists as the Coyotes switched back to a 5-1 offensive set. Karissa Kent led the Coyote defense with 19 digs, while Griffis added 18 and Lee had 16. Rahlf and Jennifer McConnell each had one solo and two assisted blocks.

The Coyotes wasted little time in dispatching the York Panthers in the final match of the day.

York hung close with Wesleyan, using a service error to tie things up at 7-all. That’s when the Coyotes exploded and ended any suspense. Back-to-back kills from Claborn, a in the net call and another Claborn kill sparked what turned out to be a 13-1 run that gave the Coyotes a 20-8 lead that was capped by a Griffis kill. An in the net call against Wesleyan gave York a point, and the Coyotes closed out the first set with a 25-12 win when Claborn put down a kill left handed to wrap up the set.

Set number two was a repeat of the first, as the Panthers hung close with the Coyotes, trailing just one at 8-7 before the Coyotes used another huge run to take a big lead. This time Wesleyan used the serve to get its point. In six serves, Griffis recorded four aces pushing the lead out to 15-7. After a service error by the Coyotes gave York a point, but Wesleyan quickly got control back, getting a tip kill from Jenn Lee to start off a 9-2 run to have set point at 24-12. York got three straight points to make it 24-15, but the Coyotes got the set win on a service error by the Panthers.

As in their match with Tabor, York made the third set interesting. The Panthers jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Coyotes answered back, using a Ashley Geasland kill in the middle of an eight point run by the Coyotes to tie things up at 6-all and capped the run with another tip kill by Lee at 11-6.

York got a nice run of its own, getting things going when Claborn’s attack from the back row went into the net. The Panthers were able to run off six straight to take a 12-11 lead, and eventually took a 16-13 lead when Claborn missed a long attack attempt. After a KWU timeout, Claborn answered back with a big kill and the Coyotes regained the lead 19-17 on back-to-back aces from Claborn. York took a 20-19 lead, but a service error from the Panthers tied things up at 20 and the Coyotes closed the match with a 6-1 run as Geasland got back-to-back kills to close out the match with a 25-21 win.

Claborn led the way with ten kills in the match, while Griffis added nine and Rahlf had seven. Lee added 23 assists, while Claborn had seven aces, Griffis had four and Thomas and Kent each had three as Wesleyan had 17 aces in the match. Claborn also led the way with ten digs, while Kent had nine.

Wesleyan is off until Tuesday when the Coyotes head to Lindsborg to take on rival Bethany College at 7 p.m. inside Hahn Gym. The Coyotes then are back at home for two straight matches against Bethel on Thursday and then Ottawa on October 13.

-- KWU SI --