KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Hesston College fell in straight sets to Calvary University on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 30) in Kansas City, 20-25, 17-25, 16-25. The Larks came out strong in the opening set, trading points early and pulling within 19-20 after a kill from Kennedie Esparza, who led Hesston with six kills and a .357 hitting percentage. However, Calvary closed the frame on a 5-1 run to take the opener. In the second set, Hesston stayed within striking distance behind steady setting from Se'Maiya Farrow (7 assists) and Audrey Garrison (8 assists), but Calvary's balanced attack, led by Timry Goodman's match-high nine kills and four service aces, pushed the hosts ahead 2-0. The third set saw Calvary jump out to an early lead, and despite defensive efforts from Kadence Taylor (11 digs) and Marisa Branch (6 digs), the Larks couldn't overcome the offensive pressure, as Calvary hit .250 in the final frame to seal the sweep.

For the match, Hesston hit .073 as a team with 20 kills and 40 digs. Esparza's seven points were supported by Layla Romero's four kills, while Keeley Pflughoeft and Tanna Owens each added three points and a block. Calvary finished with a .209 hitting percentage, 39 kills, and 10 service aces, using efficient offense in the final two sets to pull away.

The Larks will travel to Winfield on Tuesday (Sep. 2) to take on Southwestern College at 7 p.m.