"It was an awfully good effort today. That was an incredibly good North Texas team that we have a lot of respect for", said head coach Travis Hudson post-match. "We played really well. That's the kind of performance you want to have this time of the year, you want your seniors to rise to the occasion in these type of moments and certainly these two [Lauren Matthews and Katie Isenbarger] did today."
Taking over on every category on the stat sheet, the Hilltoppers slid through set one with only hitting error, picked up seven aces from the line five collective blocks, and hit for 49 kills in total. Matthews hit her single-highest percentage of the season, driving in 22 kills off of 27 swings, good for a .778 clip and one error.
WKU 3, NORTH TEXAS 0 - 25-14, 25-16, 25-19
SET 1
North Texas was first to get on the board, until Lauren Matthews answered quickly, placing one just out of the reach of the Mean Green front line, nothing her first kill of the afternoon. Matthews finally gave the Tops their first lead of the set, picking up her second kill at a three-point mark. The first ace of the match came off the hand of Abby Schaefer to give WKU a two-point advantage. Katie Isenbarger got in on the offense, striking one down the middle to give the Tops a 9-5 lead. North Texas tried to cut into the lead, but after a long rally sent defenders running, Matthews shot one into no man's land to give WKU a 13-9 lead. The Tops later took seven of the next ten points. Strengthening their grip on set one, the Tops broke 20 taking a nine-point lead after the Mean Green sent one long, up 21-12. After WKU took a 24-13 lead, their largest of the set, North Texas recorded a kill briefly extending the frame, but a Kennedy Coyle kill from the right, assisted by Callie Bauer put a wrap on the first set.
SET 2
Lauren Matthews kicked off the drive for the Hilltoppers with her sixth kill of the match. North Texas fired back, later notching two kills of their own. Isenbarger recorded a kill and picked up a block on a back-to-back series to give the Tops a 6-3 advantage. An ace from Callie Bauer and the Mean Green called the first timeout of the match with WKU up, 10-4. Out of the break, North Texas cut the lead to four taking two quick points. The Tops quickly regained the six-point margin taking the largest lead of the frame in part to a kill from the right side of Kenadee Coyle. A North Texas ace cut the lead to five but back-to-back Lauren Matthews kills forced the Mean Green to call their second and final timeout of the set, as WKU us leading 18-11. Back into play, Katie Howard served her first ace and the fifth Hilltopper ace of the match taking a 19-11 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Matthews saw the lead grow to 11, up on the Mean Green. A 5-1 North Texas run near the end of the frame led to the Hilltoppers resetting. It was back-to-back errors from the Mean Green and the Hilltoppers took the set and had the 2-0 lead in the match.
SET 3
The third set was underway after Katie Isenbarger dished up an ace, her first of the match. Katie Howard then served her second ace of the day to give the Tops an early 4-2 lead. An attacking error by the Hilltoppers cut the lead to one, leading 7-6. The Mean Green tied the set at seven, but Isenbarger's eighth kill of the match gave the lead back to the Red and White. Lauren Matthews 18th kill, as well as a .818 hitting clip, of the match saw the Tops reach ten points first, on top by two. of a Mean Green timeout, Katie Isenbarger stuffed her fifth block of the day for a 15-10 Hilltopper advantage. The Mean Green cut the deficit to four, but the Tops quickly responded with three straight kills from Katie Isenbarger and Kenadee Coyle for a 19-12 lead. A North Texas kill gave them their highest point total of the day, as WKU was still up by four. A successful challenge from the Hilltoppers and a kill from Matthews later gave WKU a 23-17 lead. Matthews fired her 22nd kill of the match putting the Tops in set point, not until a Mean Green point slowed the energy. Paige Briggs from the left side put a bow on the frame and match as the Hilltoppers move onto the championship match.
UP NEXT
Onto the championship match for the fourth straight year, Western Kentucky will play the winner of the match-up between Rice and UTEP, Sunday November 20 at 1 p.m. CT. The match will be available for stream on ESPN+.
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 29th time this season Coach Hudson has used this combination.
- In the series, WKU is no holding the 24-3 edge over the North Texas Mean Green as they leave the conference next season.
- C-USA Freshman of the Year setter Callie Bauer took care of 42 assists at the net and an ace from the service line.
- Collectively, WKU hit their highest as a team this season. The Hilltoppers notched 49 kills off of 87 swings good for a .494 hitting clip.
- Middle hitter Lauren Matthews lead the way for the Red and White on the line, picking up 22 kills and a .778 hitting clip on the afternoon, fifth-year Katie Isenbarger followed suit with 13 kills, no errors, operating at a .684 rate.
- The Hilltoppers now stand at 28-2, 2-0 in the post-season.
- Head coach Travis Hudson is now 721-220 across his career on the Hill.
- WKU Volleyball is now up to an all-time program record of 999-494.
How to Follow WKU Volleyball: For complete information on WKU Volleyball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUVolleyball and head coach Travis Hudson at @TravisHudsonWKU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
