OTTAWA – Kansas Wesleyan Men's Volleyball dropped a three-set match to Ottawa University 25-15, 25-18, 25-22 on Tuesday night inside Ottawa's Mabee Center, the new home for the Braves' men's volleyball team.
 
Ottawa recently opened its Mabee Center as the home court for the men's volleyball team instead of playing in Wilson Fieldhouse, the home of the Braves' women's volleyball and basketball teams.
 
KWU had a 5-4 lead in the first set when Ottawa would score four straight points to take an 8-5 lead. The Coyotes got back within a point at 9-8, but Ottawa scored the next four to take a 13-8 lead. It was 13-10 Ottawa when the Braves scored seven straight points to lead 20-10 as they took the first set 25-15.
 
Wesleyan jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, and after Ottawa tied it at 4, Justin Burras got a kill to give the Coyotes the lead. KWU led 6-5 when Ottawa went on an 8-0 run to take a 13-6 lead. A Ryan Wagner kill stopped the Ottawa run as the Coyotes then went on a 7-1 surge to get within a point at 14-13. The Coyotes were within three at 21-18 when Ottawa scored the last four points of the set to win 25-18.
 
In the third, the Coyotes took an early 5-2 lead, but Ottawa pressed back to take a 9-7 lead. The Coyotes drew back even at 15 on a Burras kill, but the Braves scored the next four to lead 19-15. A 5-1 KWU run tied it at 20, but Ottawa regained the lead and fought off several KWU challenges to take the match.
 
The Coyotes hit .217 as a team. Zayin Martinez and Jaron Lindsay led the way with eight kills each. Ryan Wagner had six and Burras five. Ethan Ricketts had 27 assists. Colin Lindo had five blocks. Lindsay led the Coyotes with six digs.
 
KWU returns home this weekend for a pair of matches. KWU hosts Missouri Baptist on Friday at 7 p.m. and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP) on Saturday at 1 p.m. inside KWU's Mabee Arena. KWU then steps out of conference to take on Rockhurst next Tuesday at 6 p.m.