Kansas Wesleyan Men's Volleyball hosted a triangular on Saturday with University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy and Central Christian inside Mabee Arena.
The Coyotes nearly picked up their first Heart of America win of the season against UHSP falling in a five-set thriller, and then capped the day with a four-set win over Central Christian College.
Against UHSP, four of the five sets were decided by just two points with two sets going to the volleyball equivalent of overtime, both won by the Coyotes.
In the opening set against UHSP the Coyotes trailed 11-8 but came back to tie the set at 16 on back-to-back kills from
Anthony Mule. UHSP answered with a 5-0 run and then closed the set with four straight points to win the opener 25-17.
The Coyotes trailed 13-6 in the second set, but battled back to get within a point at 20-19. UHSP then scored four straight points to take a 24-19 lead and were on the verge of taking a 2-0 match lead.
Wesleyan had other plans. Fueled by
Alexander Rivera's kill the Coyotes rolled off seven straight points including the set clinching block by Rivera and
Dallas Manaku to win the set 26-24.
KWU had a big 10-4 lead in the third set, but the Eutectics worked their way back into it taking an 18-17 lead. A kill from
Kaleb Cui tied the set at 18 for the Coyotes and sparked a 3-0 run to make it 20-18.
The teams pressed each other with mini runs and UHSP had first chance at set point at 24-22, but again the Coyotes had other ideas. Two points from the Coyotes capped by a
Conor Williams kill tied it at 24. UHSP had another set point, but the Coyotes used two Williams kills to have their own set point at 26-25.
The teams went back and forth scoring two points and getting chances at set point, but could not close the set. Finally the Coyotes did it. Trailing 29-28, the Coyotes got the last three points of the set to win 31-29.
Wesleyan trailed 9-6 in the fourth set but five straight points gave KWU an 11-9 lead on
Anthony Mule's kill. UHSP responded with five points to lead 14-11. KWU hung tough, trailing 20-18 the Coyotes would go on a 5-0 run to lead 23-20. Things didn't go well down the stretch as UHSP would close the set on a 5-0 run of its own to win 25-23 and force a deciding set.
UHSP rocketed out to a 5-1 lead in the deciding set, but the Coyotes fought back, tying the set at 11. The Eutectics would get the next two points, and the Coyotes couldn't draw even as UHSP got the match win.
Williams led the Coyotes with 21 kills and had 13 digs, while Cui had 12 kills. Manaku had 43 assists, 12 digs and seven kills, three aces and three blocks. Kiely had 13 digs.
Against Central Christian, the Coyotes opened the match with an impressive 25-8 win. Leading 6-3, the Coyotes ran off seven straight points to take a 13-3 lead. Another 5-0 run pushed the lead out 18-4 and the Coyotes had set point at 24-7 before giving up a point before closing out the set.
Central Christian led 5-0 to start the second set and later used a 5-0 run to take a 14-6 lead which proved too much for the Coyotes to rally from.
The Coyotes pulled out to a 22-14 lead in the set on a Cui ace and Williams ended the set on an ace to win 25-16.
The fourth set was a bit of a battle. KWU led 19-17 when the Coyotes scored five straight points to take a 24-17 lead on back to back aces from Rivera.
Brysen Newville's kill ended the match with authority.
Williams again paced the Coyotes with 15 kills while Cui had 14 while hitting .522. Manaku added 35 assists and four aces. Cui had six service aces. Kiely had 14 digs.
The Coyotes are on the road next weekend heading to Oskaloosa, Iowa to take on William Penn on Friday and then at Grand View in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday.
