Salina, KS — Stephens College volleyball competed in the Kansas Wesleyan Coyote Classic in Salina, Kansas, taking on tournament host Kansas Wesleyan on Friday before facing Ottawa on Saturday.
Match One: Kansas Wesleyan 3, Stephens 0
Stephens opened tournament play Friday against host Kansas Wesleyan, falling in three sets, 25-17, 26-24 and 25-11.
The Stars battled the Coyotes closely in the second set after dropping the opener. Stephens put together its best offensive performance of the match in the frame, recording 13 kills and hitting .149. The set featured four ties and a lead change before Kansas Wesleyan narrowly came away with the 26-24 win.
Michalina Oles and Anna Bradley led the Stephens attack with six kills apiece, while Alyssa Jackson added five kills on 12 attempts for a .250 hitting percentage. Oles also contributed a service ace and two block assists, finishing with a team-high 8.0 points. Jocelyn Rios chipped in four kills.
Audrey Dinwiddie directed the Stars' offense with 16 assists while adding two service aces and eight digs. Alanis Francelino anchored the defensive effort with 19 digs, while Syerra Mitchell added nine. Stephens finished the match with 24 kills, seven service aces and 50 digs.
Match Two: Ottawa 3, Stephens 0
Stephens returned to Mabee Arena on Saturday to face Ottawa in its second match of the Kansas Wesleyan Coyote Classic. The Stars fell in three sets, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-13.
Stephens remained within striking distance through much of the opening two sets, which featured eight combined ties and two lead changes. The Stars pushed Ottawa in the second set before the Braves secured the 25-21 victory and eventually completed the sweep in the third.
Oles paced the Stephens offense with eight kills on 24 attempts while hitting .208. She also delivered three of the Stars' seven service aces and added a block assist to finish with a team-high 11.5 points. Bradley followed with six kills, while Rios contributed four and Jackson added three.
Dinwiddie handed out 21 assists while adding six digs and a service ace. Francelino once again led the defensive effort with 18 digs, while Mitchell recorded eight and Danika Brase added seven. Brase also contributed two service aces.
Stephens finished the match with 22 kills, seven service aces and 47 digs. The Stars recorded eight kills in the final set, their highest total of the match, but Ottawa closed out the tournament matchup with the three-set victory.
