Graceland Falls to Kansas Wesleyan in Straight Sets

SALINA, Kan. – The Graceland University men's volleyball team continued its season on the road Saturday, falling in straight sets to Kansas Wesleyan University (25-18, 25-13, 25-16) at Mabee Arena. The Yellowjackets (2-13, 0-8 Heart of America) struggled against a strong Coyotes team (7-7, 3-4 KCAC) that hit .443 on the night.

Match Recap

Graceland started the first set with early momentum, taking a 3-1 lead behind back-to-back service aces from Andrew Cziep. Kansas Wesleyan quickly countered with a 6-2 run, forcing the Yellowjackets to play from behind. Despite steady play from Elijah Kline and Chase VanDellen, Graceland was unable to close the gap, dropping the set 25-18. Kansas Wesleyan controlled the second set from the start, jumping out to an 8-2 lead. Graceland struggled with offensive efficiency, committing 11 attack errors in the frame while hitting -.242. The Coyotes continued to pressure from the service line and extended their lead, taking the set 25-13. In the third set, Graceland made adjustments and recorded its best hitting percentage of the match at .182. However, Kansas Wesleyan's offense remained dominant, hitting .545 in the final frame. The Coyotes used a balanced attack and capitalized on errors to secure the 25-16 victory and complete the sweep.

Key Performances

• Graceland: Andrew Cziep – 6 kills, 3 service aces. Chase VanDellen – 3 kills (1.000 hitting percentage), 2 block assists. Christopher Sawyer – 8 assists. Elijah Kline – 5 kills, 4 digs.
• Kansas Wesleyan: Ryan Wagner – 11 kills (.917 hitting percentage). Zayin Martinez – 9 kills. Ethan Rickets – 29 assists, 3 service aces.

Coach's Comments

"This was a learning experience for our team," said head coach Eric Majors. "Kansas Wesleyan played at a high level and put pressure on us from the service line and at the net. We had some good moments, but we need to clean up our errors and become more consistent. We'll take what we learned today and use it to get better for our home opener."

Next Up

Graceland will return home for a pair of matches this weekend, hosting Clarke University on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing Mount Mercy University on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Morden Center.

For more information on Graceland men's volleyball and all Yellowjackets athletics, visit GUjackets.com.