Louisville // Aug. 31 // Diddle Arena |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 4: No. 3 Louisville (3-0) | Wed., Aug. 31 | 6 p.m. CT | ESPN+ | ESPN 102.7 FM // Listen Live | Livestats | ||||
| Tickets | Flexible Ticket Package | Single game tickets available at entrance ($6 adults, $3 youth) | ||||
| Promotions | Whiteout match | First 500 fans get a replica towel of our brand new Taraflex FIVB court | ||||
| Game Notes | WKU | Louisville | ||||
| Series History | Louisville leads all-time series, 0-18 | Full History | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUVolleyball | @WKU Volleyball  | Facebook  | YouTube  | Tik Tok |
||||
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – No. 22 WKU Volleyball will open their home slate as the Louisville Cardinals travel to The Hill Wednesday, August 31 at 6 P.M. The Hilltoppers have opened the season with a 3-0 record following a weekend sweep at the CEFCU Invitational. The Tops are 0-18 all-time against the Cardinals, dating back to the last match-up inside Diddle Arena for the NCAA Bowling Green Regional in 2019, which brought in a record 5,023 fans.
The match will be available for streaming on ESPN+ with Brad Klein on the call and Ken Marshall as color analyst in a simulcast with the radio broadcast.
As is the case for every Hilltopper match this season, all the action will also be available on the radio with Brad Klein on the play-by-play call on ESPN Radio 102.7.
The Tops just narrowly bumped down a spot in this week's poll to No. 22. They traveled to Peoria, Ill. for the CEFCU Invitational hosted by Bradley. The Hilltoppers took their first 3-0 sweep of the first matches of the season for the first time since 2007. WKU topped Miami (OH), Bradley, and Kansas City in 3-0 runs with a .409 hitting clip compared to .136 of their opponents through three matches.
Topping with a perfect season last year, Louisville finished 28-0 in 2021, advancing to the Final Four, only succumbing to eventual champion Wisconsin in five sets.
PARKING
On Wednesday night, fans can park in Parking Structure 2 (located between the football stadium and E.A. Diddle Arena) and enter through the Gate 2 entrance.
TICKETS
Flexible season ticket packages are on sale now and include 13 vouchers that fans can use at any regular-season home match in whatever fashion they choose. Fans can opt for the traditional use of one ticket for all 13 home matches or bring a group to a few matches. Flexible ticket packages are available for $50 at WKUTickets.com, by calling 1-800-5-BIGRED or by coming to the WKU Ticket Office during regular business hours.
Single match tickets are available at only gate 2 on game day or online during the week of each match.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU opened the season ranked for just the fifth time in program history during the 2022 fall campaign, also marking the first time the team will do so in three times in back-to-back campaigns. The Hilltoppers came in at their highest preseason ranking ever, No. 16 in 2021. In 2013, WKU was ranked in the AVCA Preseason poll for the first time, coming in at No. 21 before owning the 22nd slot prior to the 2016 season.
- WKU ranks No. 22 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, down one spot from last week's mark. The Hilltoppers have now been ranked in 10 of the last 11 seasons and received votes for 12-straight campaigns.
- WKU Volleyball is more accessible than ever with radio broadcasts for every match. The Tops are 1 of just 10 Division I Volleyball programs that currently have live radio for home and away matches.
- This weekend's matches will be the 19th all-time meetings between WKU and Louisville, a series that Louisville leads 18-0.
- WKU has been predicted to win the conference title in the Conference USA Preseason Poll voted by the league's coaches. Paige Briggs, Katie Isenbarger, and Lauren Matthews were all selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Matthews was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year. After meeting in last year's tournament championship, Rice was predicted to finish second.
- Lauren Matthews and Paige Briggs are tied for the team in kills this season (32). Matthews holds a .473 hitting average, while Briggs follows closely at .456.
- Wednesday's match will be the home opener for the Hilltoppers, followed by a weekend road trip for the Hampton Inn Invitational in Bowling Green, Ohio. Western Kentucky will be back in Diddle next weekend (Sept. 8-10) to host the Holiday Inn - University Plaza Invite.
- The Tops are steady at a .409 hitting clip after three matches. Louisville has posted a .367 hitting percentage after their weekend tournament.
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.
