WKU operated at a .250 efficiency with 38 assists from Nadia Dieudonne. The Red and White finished with four aces – two from Logan Kael and one each from Dieudonne and Hood.
Set 1
Avri Davis scored the first point of the fall 2021 campaign for the Hilltoppers with a kill to even the score at 1-1 in the early goings against Oakland. The Tops would take their first lead of the day at 7-6 off a Kayland Jackson kill before the Grizzles fought back and hit double digits first. WKU used a 3-0 run to force an Oakland timeout at 14-12 and would work ahead to a 21-19 lead. Logan Kael struck for her second ace of the frame to make the score 23-20 and force the Grizzlies' second timeout before WKU locked up the opening frame, 25-20.
Set 2
Oakland scored the first point of the second frame again but WKU would push out to an 11-7 lead and force a timeout by the Grizzlies. Hilltopper freshman Kelsey Brangers would make her collegiate debut in the set, coming in to serve and then playing three rotations across the back row. The Grizzles would work back and take the lead at 15-14 but out of a timeout the Tops would knot things up. A 3-0 run would give the Tops an 18-16 lead to force a timeout by Oakland. The Grizzles took a slim 22-21 lead but the Red and White struck for four of the last five points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set 3
WKU struck first in the third frame and an Avri Davis kill gave the Tops a 5-0 lead and forced an early Oakland timeout. Out of the break, the Hilltoppers pushed ahead to an 11-3 advantage as the Grizzlies used their second stoppage. After WKU took a 16-6 lead, Oakland battled back and closed the gap to five points on several occasions. Freshman Katie Howard would make her collegiate debut in the frame, recording a solo block as her first stat as a Hilltopper. WKU hit a match-best .341 in the final frame.
SCHEDULE
Friday, August 27 – No. 16 WKU def. Oakland, 3-0
Friday, August 27 – 6 p.m. CT | at No. 25 Notre Dame | Stats | Watch | WKU Radio (100.7 SAM FM)
Saturday, August 28 – noon CT | No. 16 WKU vs. Loyola | Stats | WKU Radio (ESPN 102.7 FM)
POST-MATCH NOTES
- WKU kept its same starting lineup from the spring for its 2021 season opener against Oakland with Paige Briggs, Nadia Dieudonne, Avri Davis, Lauren Matthews, Kayland Jackson, Logan Kael and Katie Isenbarger.
- Friday's meeting was the first between the sides in program history, giving WKU a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
- With the win over Oakland, WKU has now won three-straight season opening matches.
- Freshmen Kelsey Brangers and Katie Howard made their Hilltopper debuts against Oakland.
- With a kill to close the match, Paige Briggs secured a double-double performance (10 kills, 13 digs).
- Lauren Matthews tallied a match-high 15 kills to bring her career total to 990. She operated at a .467 clip (15-1-30) while striking for kills on 50 percent of her attacks.
- Nadia Dieudonne racked up 38 assists to go along with seven digs.
- Logan Kael worked into double-digit digs with 12 in the three-set match.
- With the win, head coach Travis Hudson is now 666-216 across his career. He is now 19-8 all-time in season openers.
- WKU Volleyball is now up to an all-time program record of 946-491 with Friday's win over Oakland.
- Due to last season being moved to the spring, WKU's 124-day break marked the shortest offseason in program history from the Tops' Sweet 16 match on April 18 to their season opener.
