"There's a lot of emotion, it's senior weekend and you don't know how people are going to react", said head coach Travis Hudson. "To be playing such a physical, athletic team, I'm very very proud of our team for mowing their back after that first set and finding a way."
On offense, Kaylee Cox and Izzy Van De Wiele swung for a combined 23 kills as the freshman earned her second career start after an explosive weekend on the road at LA Tech. Cox operated at a .406 hitting clip adding on a pair of blocks, while the middle hitter had a third-best career .375 from the net and stuffed four blocks.
WKU 3, FIU 1: 22-25, 25-10, 25-15, 25-10
Set 1
The Panthers opened up the set with a three-point lead with a pair of kills. The Tops then came rallying back with back-to-back-back service aces from Katie Howard to give WKU a 5-3 lead. The two teams volleyed points back-and-forth until a 4-0 run kicked off by an Izzy Van De Wiele kill down the middle, forced FIU to burn a timeout. Once again, both teams continued to trade points on the board, until FIU finally rattled off four straight points with the aid of two aces. After the Tops used a timeout of their own, down by one, Kenadee Coyle and Kaylee Cox scored back-to-back to get WKU back on track. The Panthers and the Red and White would battle over the lead until FIU took a two-point advantage nearing set point. Hudson once again calls a timeout, however, FIU proceeds to close out the opening set on an errant Hilltopper attack.
Set 2
Izzy Van De Wiele scored the first point of set two with a kill assisted by Callie Bauer. This was followed by a rally of points bringing the slate with a 4-3 frame held by WKU. The Tops then ignited a 3-0 run featuring a Panther service error and block assist from Bauer and Logan Grevengoed, causing an FIU timeout. Kaylee Cox came straight off the bench with an ace, which led to the scoring run being stretched to five. After the Panthers took back one, the Hilltoppers continued a scoring drive of 9-1 that would give them a nine-point margin at 13-4. FIU followed with their own 4-1 run over their own, cutting the lead down by six. The Tops cut the momentum short, as the Red and White answered right back with a 7-1 flood of points, giving the Toppers a commanding double-digit lead. In the run, the Panthers would commit a service error and two attacking errors, while Van De Wiele Cox would capitalize on shots from the outside and middle for kills. FIU would hit 10 points with a kill from Yasso Amin before an errant serve and back-to-back-to-back kills kicked off from setter Callie Bauer would tie the match, 1-1.
Set 3
After FIU took a 4-3 lead capped by a stuff block, Kaylee Cox kicked off a 4-0 run, with a kill assisted by Abby Schaefer. WKU grinded their way into an 11-6 lead resulting in an FIU timeout, as the Hilltoppers capped off with a bad FIU set and solo stuff from Izzy Van De Wiele in the middle. As the Tops later led 18-12, Kenadee Cox and Logan Grevengoed would team up for a block on the right side to give WKU the seven-point advantage to take control of the match. Later in the frame, Grevengoed and Bauer would team up to add another block to the sheet, setting the score at 23-13. The final point of this set came from an FIU attack over the back line to give WKU the match lead.
Set 4
The Tops rattled off a statement of five points out of the gate with kills from the entire Hilltopper front row and a Paige Briggs service ace, but FIU gradually fought back bringing the set score, 6-4. WKU, however, overcame and gained back their five-point margin, forcing the Panthers to use a timeout. As they led 12-5, the Tops and Logan Grevengoed used two back-to-back blocks to stretch the lead to a commanding nine-point deficit. With the aid of Katie Howard serving, the Tops jumped into an 11-point lead followed by another five-point scoring surge. WKU rode the momentum to the end, with the final point coming from a Panther serving error past the back line to drive home another undefeated Conference USA slate.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- WKU started Callie Bauer, Paige Briggs, Kelsey Brangers, Kaylee Cox, Logan Grevengoed, Izzy Van De Wiele, and freshman Abby Schaefer in at libero.
- A heavy Red and White margin to the longstanding series, WKU now leads the all-time record with FIU, 43-8.
- With a win in tomorrow's match up, the Tops will claim the CUSA regular-season title. It will be their ninth of 10 possible championships.
- Junior outside hitter Kaylee Cox worked with a .406 hitting clip for 15 kills to lead the offensive charge for the Red and White. It's her 13th double-digit outing this season.
- Now onto a five-match double-digit dig streak, sophomore libero Abby Schaefer received 16 from the back row to lead the Tops.
- Logan Grevengoed picked up nine blocks from the net – all block assists – to match with her career-high.
- WKU is back in Diddle Arena for the final home match of the season. Senior day will begin prior to first serve at noon CT. The match will also be available on ESPN+.
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.
