Salina, Kan.— University of Saint Mary fell 3-2 to Kansas Wesleyan in KCAC volleyball action on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Mabee Arena in Salina, Kansas. The Spires forced a deciding fifth set before KWU secured the victory, 24-26, 25-23, 27-25, 15-25, 15-11.

USM overcame an early five-point deficit to take the opening set. Trailing 16-13, the Spires scored five consecutive points, capped by a Kaylee Kindall service ace, to move ahead 18-16. The Coyotes later erased a 24-20 deficit, but Kindall answered with a kill before joining Emma Murphy on a block that secured the 26-24 win.

A combined block by Kayla Adeoye and Kindall completed a five-point Saint Mary run for an 11-6 lead in the second set. Kansas Wesleyan responded with six straight points to take the lead. Adeoye put the Spires ahead 21-20 with a kill assisted by Addison Baker, but Kansas Wesleyan closed out the set 25-23 on a Ryan Pennington kill to even the match.

The Spires again built a lead in the third set, reaching 18-14 on a combined block by Maddison Kruse and Kindall. Kansas Wesleyan scored four straight points to tie it. Makenza Holly delivered a kill for a 24-23 Saint Mary advantage, and Saige Hadley later saved a set point with a kill that tied the score at 25-25. Consecutive kills by Lagergren and Lewis gave KWU the set, 27-25.

USM responded with its most efficient attacking set, hitting .265 with 12 kills and three attack errors in a 25-15 fourth-set victory. Baker and Kindall combined on a block to finish a four-point run for an 11-6 lead. Another four-point stretch, featuring two Kruse kills and a Baker ace, extended the advantage to 15-8. Kruse supplied the kill for set point at 24-14 before a Kansas Wesleyan attack error sent the match to a fifth set.

A Hadley kill followed by three Coyote attack errors helped Saint Mary take a 6-3 lead in the deciding set. The Spires still led 7-5 before Kansas Wesleyan scored five consecutive points to move ahead 10-7. Murphy and Kindall each recorded a kill to save match points and trim the deficit to 14-11, but Pennington ended the match with a kill. Pennington finished with 21 kills and a .347 hitting percentage.

Kindall and Murphy led the Spires with 13 kills apiece. Kindall added 11 blocks, while Murphy contributed seven. Hadley finished with 12 kills and 26 digs, Baker supplied 49 assists and 13 digs, and Dakota Garcia collected 21 digs. Adeoye added eight kills, Kruse had seven and Holly contributed five. Daniella Rivera-Perez recorded 11 digs, Kathryn VanSkiver had 10 and Hannah Weisz served two aces. The Spires finished with 58 kills, 103 digs and 15 team blocks, compared with Kansas Wesleyan's 65 kills, 106 digs and three team blocks.
 
Coming Up…

USM will come home to host the No. 5 McPherson College Bulldogs on Wednesday, October 7^th at 7 p.m. in the Ryan Sports Center.