HESSTON, Kan. — Bethany College volleyball bounced back from an opening-set loss to defeat Hesston College in four sets, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-20. The Swedes finished the match with 55 kills, seven service aces and 65 digs while holding Hesston to 41 kills and a .168 hitting percentage.
Hesston took control early in the opening set, using a 5-0 run to turn a 3-3 tie into an 8-3 advantage. Bethany battled back throughout the set and cut the deficit to three at 21-18 behind kills from Ashlynn Gehring and Kailyn Jefferson. The Swedes continued to fight late, but Hesston held on for the 25-21 victory.
Bethany responded quickly in the second set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead behind a service ace from Lanie McClanahan and kills from Gehring and Josie McLean. Hesston eventually battled back to tie the set at 17-17 and again at 21-21. From there, the Swedes scored four straight points to close the set. McLean delivered back-to-back kills, Gehring followed with another, and a Hesston attack error gave Bethany the 25-21 win to even the match.
The Swedes took control of the match in the third set. After the teams traded points early, Bethany turned a 7-6 advantage into a 17-9 lead. McLean helped fuel the run with three kills, while Gehring, Kylee Harris, Graci Hanson and Antonette Carochi also contributed offensively. Bethany hit a match-best .333 in the set with 16 kills and just four errors. Service aces from Keylian Quiles and Harris helped finish off the 25-17 victory and gave the Swedes a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Bethany maintained its momentum in the fourth. The Swedes built a 9-5 lead before Hesston battled back and eventually tied the set at 19-19. Bethany responded when it mattered most, closing the match on a 6-1 run. Carochi recorded consecutive kills to put the Swedes ahead 21-19 before McClanahan delivered a service ace. Gehring ultimately put away the final kill to secure the 25-20 set victory and the four-set win.
Gehring led the Bethany attack with a match-high 18 kills on a .279 hitting percentage while adding 16 digs for a double-double. McLean followed with 12 kills, 19 assists, eight digs and two service aces. Jefferson finished with 10 kills, while Harris recorded eight kills on a team-best .438 hitting percentage to go along with 22 assists and 11 digs.
Quiles joined Gehring with a team-high 16 digs and also contributed six assists and a service ace. McClanahan added two service aces, while Hanson recorded Bethany’s lone solo block.
The Swedes finished with a 55-41 advantage in kills and outhit Hesston .182 to .168 for the match. After dropping the opening set, Bethany held Hesston to hitting percentages of .152, .075 and .100 over the final three sets to complete the comeback victory.
