Box Score
MADISON, Wisc. -- The WKU Volleyball program completed a perfect weekend and head coach Travis Hudson picked up his 500th career victory Saturday afternoon as the Lady Toppers made quick work of Colgate, sweeping the Raiders (25-17, 25-12, 25-15) in the team's final match of the 2015 HotelRED Invitational hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
After slow offensive efforts the first two games, WKU (3-0) found its rhythm against the Raiders as the Lady Tops finished the match with a season-best .309 team hitting percentage led by senior Haley Bodway's nine kills off 14 attacks.
WKU's second set proved to be the most effective offensive stanza of the weekend as the Lady Tops produced a .424 hitting percentage knocking down 16 kills on 22 attempts with just two errors.
Defensively, a pair of players finished with double-digit assists for the Lady Tops as sophomore Jessica Lucas finished with another double-double of 13 digs and 32 assists. Georgia O'Connell was the other player who finished with double-digit digs as the junior add 10 for WKU.
With the victory, WKU (3-0) captured the 2015 HotelRED Invitational Championship as the Lady Toppers upset host and fifth-ranked Wisconsin Friday evening, 3-1, before sweeping both the College of Charleston and Colgate Saturday.
The WKU victory over Colgate proved to be an historical feat as head coach Travis Hudson picked up his 500th career victory.
"My mind goes to all the kids who came here believing we can make something special," Hudson said. "Every win we can add to the total is partly due to every kid who has ever worn that jersey."
Hudson, the winningest coach in program history, improves his overall record to 500-192 as WKU earned victories in its first three contests for the first time since 2011.
"It's been a process since going 7-26 my first year but every kid who has come here and put on that jersey has helped us get one step closer to where we are right now," Hudson continued
Three Lady Toppers were placed on the HotelRED Invitational All-Tournament team as senior Noelle Langenkamp earned All-Tournament MVP honors. Georgia O'Connell and freshman Rachel Anderson were the other Lady Toppers to be included on the team.
Langenkamp led WKU with 30 kills on the weekend as the veteran put down an average of 3.00 kills per set. Anderson had a stellar collegiate debut as the rookie finished the weekend with 22 kills to go along with seven total blocks. O'Connell was a rock defensively, producing a team-high 40 digs, an average of 4.00 per set.
WKU will look to extend its winning ways next weekend as the Lady Toppers are set to travel to Carbondale, Illinois, to participate in the 2015 Saluki Invitational on the campus of Southern Illinois University.
The Lady Tops are set to meet UT Martin in the first game of the invite at 4:30 p.m. CT Friday afternoon.
