Hoover, Dilks and Gamayo star against KWU, but Coyotes get win

(Photo courtesy of Rodrigue Koutoglo)

ST. LOUIS, MO – Less than 18 hours after going four sets in a conference match against Ottawa, the Eutectics on Saturday engaged in another lengthy affair going the distance and then some against another Heart foe in Kansas Wesleyan. In a tight back-and-forth match all day, the Coyotes managed to get out town with a win, 25-22, 24-26, 25-23, 20-25, 17-15.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

• KWU opened the match by taking five of the first seven points, but the Eutectics quickly responded taking six of the next seven to go up 8-6 after three straight Coyote hitting errors. But then it was Kansas Wesleyan's turn scoring five in a row and nine of the next 12 to grab a 15-11 advantage. Late in the set, UHSP kills from Xander Quenzer and Grant Hoover along with three Coyote errors brought UHSP to within one at 21-20. But Kansas Wesleyan used three Euts errors and a Jaron Lindsay kill to ride out the opening set, 25-22.
• It was an error-filled opening set as the two teams combined for 16 hitting errors. KWU had an attack percentage of .093 while UHSP's was .032.
• The second set was tied four straight times before the visitors rattled of six of the next eight to lead 10-6. But the UHSP offense got it in gear and found some rhythm. Hoover and Cooper Hansen tallied five kills while Hoover had four as UHSP 22-19 forcing a Coyotes timeout. Out of the stoppage, KWU scored three in a row to tie things at 22-all, but the Euts offense did not waver. Dickson Colado had a pair of kills late and KWU had two hitting errors giving the second set to the home club 26-24.
• Teams managed to minimize errors in set two and three while piling up kills. UHSP had 29 kills to 13 errors in the second and third while the Coyotes went 30 and 12 respectively.
• The third set did not allow for much separation. As the score reached 14-14, that proved to be the tenth tie of the set. In a set so close, a three-point lead seemed mammoth and KWU going on a 6-2 run gave them a 19-16 advantage. The Eutectics got it tied at 21-21 with Hansen getting three kills, Cameron Werner recording one and David Quiñones delivering a service ace. At 22-21 KWU, Colado had a kill followed by a Werner ace and UHSP was two points away from a two sets to one lead. But Kansas Wesleyan turned the tables in their favor with a set closing 3-0 run.
• To begin the fourth, UHSP tried to bury the Coyotes early jumping to a 7-1 lead. Only one of those points though were earned as RJ Dilks had an ace, the other six came on KWU errors. After a Dilks service error, the Euts took five of the next six with kills from Colado and Hoover as UHSP took a commanding 12-3 lead. Another 4-1 UHSP run after Kansas Wesleyan had scored a pair and the Eutectics were sitting pretty at 16-6, that was until an 11-0 surge by KWU to claim the lead at 17-16. But Hansen and Dilks would not let the set get away as Hansen had two kills followed by another Dilks ace and UHSP scored nine of the final 12 to even the match at two sets apiece.
• The fourth set felt a lot like the first set as this time errors outnumbered kills. Kansas Wesleyan had nine kills and 11 errors while UHSP had five kills and eight errors.
• The deciding fifth saw UHSP take a 6-3 thanks to two Hoover kills and one each from Hansen and Werner. Then it was Werner, Quenzer and Hoover that recorded kills to put the home club up 10-6. Dilks set up Werner for another point and UHSP was closing in on a win leading 12-8. But KWU scored four in a row to get the Coyotes right back in it, tied at 12-12. At 14-14, UHSP would garner match point off a Colado kill but Kansas Wesleyan came off the mat to score three straight and get out win the win.
• Cooper Hansen had a match-high 19 kills on 53 chances with eight errors. Those 19 kills tie teammate Grant Hoover on the single-match kills list for fifth all-time.
• Justin Burras led KWU with 17 kills and a .375 hitting percentage. He added 15 digs.
• A day after piling up 47 assists, RJ Dilks tied long-time UHSP setter Cole Cwiklowski for fifth most assists in a match recording 50 against the Coyotes. He added ten digs.
• Xavier Gamayo matched a career-high with 22 digs for the Eutectics while Jeremy Lapeze had 23 for KWU.
• Grant Hoover notched 16 kills for the Eutectics. Cooper Stepp had 11 kills, four digs and five block assists.

UP NEXT:

The Eutectics (3-4, 1-2 HEART) now embark on a five-match road swing which they will open against cross-town rival Missouri Baptist (7-2, 3-0 Heart) on Tuesday. UHSP is not home again until Mar. 4 for a non-conference match with Cumberland.