Briggs and Cox Hit Perfect Matches; Tops Sweep ETSU

Friday, September 15

6 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

9-4,0-0CUSA

East Tennessee State

0-10,0-0SoCon

ETSU

Western Ky.

9/15/2023 9:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Outside hitters Paige Briggs and Kaylee Cox had perfect evenings at the net during the Tops' second match of the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic. A .424 hitting average between the both of them, they combined for the Tops' 23 of 43 total kills in their 3-0 sweep against East Tennessee State.

Holding the Buccaneers offense to .117, WKU stuffed eight blocks, including a solo stuff and block assist for Briggs on the outside. Redshirt-freshman Logan Grevengoed continues to lead the Tops, stuffing 40.0 on the season thus far.

"Kaylee Cox is on a tear right now, she's been hitting really, really well", said head coach Travis Hudson. "Paige Briggs is Paige Briggs. We have to continue ways to generate offensively with different pieces."

WKU 3, ETSU 0: 25-17, 25-18, 25-17

Set 1
After East Tennessee kicked off the nightcap match with a service ace, the Tops drew themselves into motion with a 3-0 run off of two sideout points and the first Hilltopper service ace conducted by Kaylee Cox. After a kill from the visitors, WKU ran in for four straight points featuring a Briggs' first kill of the evening, Katie Howard ace, and Callie Bauer setter dump. The two teams would rally back-and-forth on the board until the Bucs jumped on three straight, edging the score by just one. The Red and White cut off their run, off of Logan Grevengoed and Briggs kills, but East Tennessee would rally into four in a row to take their only lead of the set at the media timeout. After the break, the attacking Hilltopper offense took back more of their own with a 6-1 run and a four-point lead. The Tops continued their run, garnering the last five points with kills from Kenadee Coyle and Cox, and ending the frame with a Briggs ace.

Set 2
The Buccaneers opened set two with a point on their side until WKU jumped on a 5-1 run to gain the advantage, ended on a Coyle kill down cross-court from the right as she was just subbed in. Trailing by just one point, ETSU played catch-up as the two teams volleyed back-and-forth on the board, until WKU jumped ahead with three straight points to widen a four-point lead. The two would rally on the board until a 4-1 jump from East Tennessee would tie the match at 16 apiece. WKU ran ahead to take the largest gap in the score and longest run of the set: an 8-1 run to reach set point. The run featured kills from Cox, Briggs, Grevengoed, and Coyle, and a solo stuff block off the hands of Callie Bauer. The 6'3" middle hitter Grevengoed would cap off the set with a shot down the center of the court.

Set 3
The Hilltoppers were off and running with a 4-1 run and three straight that included back-to-back kills off the hand of Logan Grevengoed. WKU held onto a four-point lead after trading points back-and-forth with East Tennessee on the board. The rallying was cut after back-to-back kills from Kaylee Cox turned into a kill from Grevengoed in the middle and three points straight. At 13-8 and Callahan Wiegandt serving, the Tops would jump on a 6-1 run to widen the lead that earned three sideout points, a Briggs kill, and Wiegandt ace. The Bucs wouldn't back down, as a 5-1 run in their favor would throw off the Tops' offense as they held at point no. 22. Katie Howard would break the Tops' scoring drought with a kill from the left side just over the net, earning her first kill of the season. ETSU would manage two more kills on the court, until a bad set from the Bucs would sideout WKU and give them the match.

POST-MATCH NOTES

WKU started Callie Bauer, Paige Briggs, Kelsey Brangers Kaylee Cox, Logan Grevengoed, Gabby Weihe, and freshman Abby Schaefer in at libero.
The Hilltoppers hold a 7-2 all-time series advantage against the SoCon East Tennessee.
Entering in as a serving specialist, Katie Howard led the Red and White with three service aces at the line. Howard also saw time in the third set in the front, recording her first kill of the season on the outside.
Kaylee Cox and Abby Schaefer led the back row in receiving with nine digs a piece.
As a whole, the Hilltoppers have hit over .300 in six of the last seven matches. The Tops have 605 kills against their opponents 505 this season.
The Hilltoppers with continue to host the inaugural Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic tomorrow inside Diddle Arena where they will take on Western Michigan at 1:30 p.m.

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.