"It was a really valuable day for our two freshman. We still pulled out hitting .300 as a team", said head coach Travis Hudson. "Katie Howard got some offense that she hasn't seen in a really long time, Shannon Keck got some offense. It was a lot of good work for us today and I think we'll benefit from it."
The sweeping win marks the tenth time WKU has won a match in three sets this season and the third sweep in conference action. Kaylee Cox led the way for the Red and White notching 11 kills, along with six digs, and a pair of blocks. Kenadee Coyle followed suit, collecting 10 kills on 16 attempts for a .625 hitting clip. While only picking up seven kills, Paige Briggs worked her way on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 14 digs.
WKU 3, Jax State 0: 25-19, 25-14, 25-17
Set 1
An errant Jax State serve is how the scoring got underway in the first frame. After taking a 5-2 lead, aided by a pair of Kaylee Cox kills, JSU tied the set at five following their fourth kill of the set. After Jax State took a 7-6 lead, Paige Briggs notched her first kill of the day to tie things at seven apiece. The Tops were first to reach double-digits with Kaylee Cox's fourth kill of the match. Back-to-back-to-back kills from Cox took the frame into the media break with WKU leading 15-11. Following a Gamecock attacking error, Jax State took their first timeout with the Red and White up by five. A 4-3 run by the Tops forced the Gamecocks into their final timeout of the frame, leading 22-16. A kill from Kenadee Coyle and a block from Coyle and Izzy Van De Wiele gave WKU the first set.
Set 2
After each team took a point, the Tops rolled off five straight capped by an ace from Briggs forcing the Gamecocks to burn a timeout. A resounding block from Coyle, her second of the match, gave WKU an 8-2 edge. Back-to-back points from Jax State cut the deficit to five, but the Tops took four of the next five points to take a 13-5 lead forcing the Gamecocks to take their final timeout of the frame. Out of the break, WKU took their largest lead of the set, with 10 points ahead after a pair of Gamecock attack errors. JSU cut the margin to eight following their 18th kill of the afternoon. The two traded points, but a Kaylee Cox kill broke the 20-point threshold for the Tops, 20-11. After rolling off three more points and five of the last eight points the Tops took the second frame at 25-14, to take the match lead.
Set 3
For the third consecutive set, the Tops were first to strike in the frame. Coyle recorded her seventh kill of the afternoon giving WKU a 3-1 lead. The Gamecocks rolled off three straight to cut the deficit to one, but Coyle fired one between the Jax State lines ending the 3-0 run and sparking a 4-0 Hilltopper run stretching the lead to five. After the Gamecocks cut the lead down to two, Paige Briggs rifled one from the left side painting the line on the right ,giving WKU an 11-8 edge. The margin remained two until a kill from Coyle ignited a 5-0 WKU run to give the Tops the 18-11 advantage and forcing JSU to call time. Out of the break, the Gamecocks killed the run with a kill. A 3-0 run capped off by Gabby Weihe's eighth kill of the day gave WKU a nine-point lead. Taking their largest lead of the frame, the Tops had match point leading 24-14 but three straight Gamecock points cut the margin to seven. Van De Wiele's second kill of the afternoon sent JSU on their way, giving WKU the set and a 3-0 sweep of the Gamecocks.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- WKU started Callie Bauer, Paige Briggs, Kenadee Coyle, Kaylee Cox, Logan Grevengoed, Gabby Weihe, and freshman Abby Schaefer in at libero.
- After back-to-back matches in the conference series, WKU leads the program series at 2-0.
- Along with seven kills and two service aces, Paige Briggs led the back row with 14 digs on the defensive side of the ball.
- The entire Hilltopper front row of Kaylee Cox, Izzy Van De Wiele, and Kenadee Coyle picked up two blocks apiece, including two solo stuffs for Cox.
- All 13 players on the WKU roster saw action in today's match. Katie Howard saw time in the front row, picking up two kills off of four swings.
- WKU is on the road for matches at New Mexico State this weekend. The action is available on ESPN+, Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.
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.
