Oct. 29, 2013
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University volleyball team (20-5, 10-1) broke back into the top 30 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll this week after recording its fifth undefeated weekend of the season.
"I'm really proud of the way this team has played with such consistency," WKU head coach Travis Hudson said. "We were ranked 16th earlier this season and have remained somewhere in the poll throughout the entire season. Despite falling out of the top 25, this team never gave up and continues to show hard work and great effort as we finish out the season."
WKU opened the season at No. 21 in the nation before moving to a school-record 16th ranking after defeating No. 16 Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Four of the five losses the team recorded this year have come to opponents who were ranked or receiving votes.
Fourteen of the Lady Toppers' 20 wins this season have come in the form of straight-set wins, as seven other teams nationally have 14 or more sweeps, led by Missouri's 18. However, WKU's nine 3-0 victories in Sun Belt Conference play leads those teams with the most sweeps in league action.
WKU is also ranking high in NCAA stats, including fifth in hitting percentage (.310), 15th in assists per set (13.47) and 18th in kills per set (14.31), which all lead the SBC. Individually, five Lady Toppers rank in the top 45 in the nation in respective stat categories. In hitting percentage, Paige Wessel is tenth, Noelle Langenkamp ranks 19th and Heather Boyan is 33rd. Melanie Stutsman ranks tenth in assists per set while Ashley Potts is 41st in digs per set.
One more road trip awaits WKU in the regular season, as the team travels to Texas State (16-10, 6-5) on Friday, November 1 for a 6 p.m. CT contest before a bout at UT Arlington (15-9, 8-3) on Saturday, November 2 at 3 p.m. CT. The Lady Toppers then close out the season with five-straight home matches.
For all the latest news and information on WKU volleyball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program on Twitter via @TravisHudsonWKU and @WKUVolleyball.
