Falcons Close Out 2026 Season Against Kansas Wesleyan at Garvey Center
The Friends University Falcons wrapped up their 2026 campaign inside the Garvey Center on Nov. 7, dropping a 3-0 decision to the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes. The final match of the schedule brought a close to the Falcons’ season in Wichita, Kansas, as the visiting Coyotes seized momentum at crucial junctures across all three sets.
Friends came out firing in the opening frame. Grace McClintock ignited a four-point burst featuring three aces wrapped around a Gabbie Taylor kill, transforming a 9-9 gridlock into a 13-9 advantage. The hosts extended that margin to 16-11 before Kansas Wesleyan mounted a response. Campbell Bohling delivered consecutive kills to spark a five-point surge that leveled the score at 16-16. The Coyotes sustained that pressure to capture the opening set 25-21.
Shifting Momentum in the Final Two Frames
The second set proved less hospitable for the home side as Kansas Wesleyan engineered a dominant seven-point run, turning a 1-1 tie into an 8-1 hole for the Falcons. Friends clawed back within 19-14 later in the frame, but the Coyotes locked down the defense. Two straight kills from Bohling extinguished any hopes of a comeback, sealing the second set at 25-17.
Resilience defined the start of the third set. The Falcons manufactured a mid-set push to flip a 6-5 deficit into a 12-7 lead, fueled by back-to-back service aces from Taylor and a crisp kill by Sofia Mekelburg. Yet, Kansas Wesleyan answered with an 8-3 run to reclaim the advantage at 15-14. Knotted at 18-18, consecutive attack errors handed the Coyotes the lead for good. Ryan Pennington then hammered home three kills to secure the 25-21 set victory and sweep the match.
Taylor and Lozano Lead Falcons Statistical Production
Statistical production for the Falcons featured strong individual efforts despite the sweep. Taylor paced the offense with eight kills, two service aces, and nine digs. Iris Lozano anchored the back row with 18 digs, while McClintock contributed five service aces, three kills, and four digs. Mekelburg orchestrated the attack with 12 assists alongside five kills, seven digs, and one block assist.
Across the net, Kansas Wesleyan relied on efficient execution. Bohling led the team with 14 kills and added eight digs. Tristyn Hedman collected 22 digs, while Pennington turned in a flawless scoresheet with 10 kills on 15 errorless attacks. Giovanna Ishii recorded 18 assists to lead KWU.
