Eight Hilltoppers recorded at least one kill for the match. Three players picked up at least two aces for seven team aces for the day. Lauren Matthews led the way for the Hilltoppers on Sunday recording 14 kills off of 21 attacks for a season high .619 hitting clip for the Fifth Year.
Libero Abby Schaefer recorded double digit digs for the ninth time this season leading the way for WKU with 10 digs in the three-set sweep of the Roadrunners. Avri Davis saw time in two sets garnering a season high three kills off of six attempts.
WKU 3, UTSA 0 - 25-18, 25-17, 25-19
SET 1
UTSA connected for the first two points of the frame before Matthews responded with a pair of kills to tie the set at two apiece. After the Roadrunners notched their second ace of the set, WKU found themselves in a four-point hole trailing 7-3. The Tops used a 3-0 run to pull within, only down by one. Back-to-back kills from Katie Howard and Lauren Matthews, along with a Roadrunner error gave WKU its first lead of the set, leading. Callie Bauer set one just over the net to force a UTSA timeout, as the Tops were leading 13-11. Kenadee Coyle fired one just behind the UTSA second line giving the Tops their largest lead at 21-14 forcing the Roadrunners to burn their final timeout of the set. Matthews denied a Roadrunner access giving the Tops Set point, leading 24-17. UTSA responded but following an errant serve set one was in the books.
SET 2
The Tops struggled into the second frame, down by two. A sideout point got the Hilltoppers on the board as Katie Howard served up an ace to eventually tie the set at three. Isenbarger hit the roadrunners with an off-speed kill to give WKU a 7-5 edge. WKU continued the run, extending it to five capped by a kill from Coyle, WKU leading 9-5. Paige Briggs grabbed her first ace of the match after she floated one across the net catching the Roadrunners off guard. Lauren Matthews' sixth kill of the match forced the Roadrunners to take a break with WKU on top. UTSA rolled off three straight, but the Tops responded with three of their own to take an eight-point lead. In the middle, both Katie Isenbarger and Lauren Matthews closed off the set with back-to-back kills, wagering a .333 team hitting clip.
SET 3
WKU broke suit in the third frame taking the first two points, crediting a pair of kills from Matthews. Back-to-back blocks from Matthews and Briggs gave WKU a 5-2 advantage. A 3-0 Hilltopper run capped by the fifth ace of the match, this one from Callie Bauer forced the Roadrunners to call time. The Tops continued out of the break as Katie Isenbarger fired one into no man's land, but UTSA later stopped the run with a kill. Lauren Matthews notched her third kill of the frame to give the Tops a 14-7 lead. A Roadrunner attacking error gave WKU its largest lead of the set, later as the Tops crossed the 20-point mark on Briggs' eighth kill of the match. A block from Briggs and junior Shannon Keck ended a 5-0 UTSA run near the end. The Roadrunners briefly quieted the crowd of over 600 but the Tops completed the three set sweep with Matthews recording kill #14 of the day.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- WKU used the lineup of Paige Briggs, Katie Howard, Lauren Matthews, Katie Isenbarger, Kenadee Coyle, Callie Bauer, and Abby Schaefer. This is the 18th time this season Coach Hudson has used this combination.
- In the series, WKU continued the win streak bringing the total to 8 straight and have the all-time series edge 8-1 over the UTSA Roadrunners.
- Fifth-year Lauren Matthews tallied 14 kills off of 21 attempts for a season best .619 hitting clip for 16 points on the day. Paige Briggs added nine kills, five digs, 2.5 blocks, and a pair of aces.
- Katie Howard had a team high three aces to go along with four digs and a pair of kills.
- WKU finished the day with a .402 hitting clip which was the highest for the Tops since a .483% against UAB back on September 23rd.
- The Hilltoppers now stand at 17-2 and undefeated in C-USA play (5-0).
- Head coach Travis Hudson is now 710-220 across his career on the Hill.
- WKU Volleyball is now up to an all-time program record of 988-494 with Sunday's victory, 49 straight regular season conference victories thus far.
