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EL PASO, Tex. --WKU Volleyball finished its weekend in the Lone Star State with a grueling five-set match over UTEP, taking the win and the series with a 3-2 win.
Senior outside hitter Kaylee Cox collected 23 kills on the match while also leading defensively with six blocks. Alongside Cox was freshman pin hitter Alivia Skidmore with 16 kills while middle hitters Izzy Van De Wiele and Faith Young posted 11 and 10 kills respectively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: 25-22
Tying seven different times and with three lead changes, the Tops came out on top in set one. Cox led the offensive pursuit with six kills while Young led defensively with two blocks. At the service line, Cox also contributed two service aces. WKU put together a .300 hitting percentage [14-2-40] while holding the Miners to a slim .225 [16-7-40].
Set 2: 25-23
UTEP tied the match at one set a piece in the second set. Van De Wiele exploded offenively with four kills on 12 swings for a .250 [4-1-12] hitting percentage. Cox also added an additional four kills to het total while Van De Wiele both added a block each. The Hilltoppers hit for a .162 [13-7-37] hitting clip while the Miners swung for .171 [13-6-41].
Set 3: 25-22
In the third set, WKU rebounded offensively and improved to a .275 [16-5-40] hitting percentage with Skidmore leading the charge with five kills. Meanwhile at the net, Cox added three blocks to her total to bring the team total to six. The Hilltoppers added three total team blocks in set three.
Set 4: 27-25
Cox continued her offensive dominance for the Hilltoppers, hitting .429 [6-0-14] while registering a solo block. Skidmore contributed another four kills of her own. The Hilltoppers put together a .405 hitting clip while UTEP hit for .316 while at the net the Miners collected six total team blocks to the Tops' one.
Set 5: 15-8
With the match tied at two sets each, the Hilltoppers dominated the fifth set, exploding for a .389 [10-3-18] hitting percentage to UTEP's .062 [3-2-16]. At the net, WKU put up two total team blocks while UTEP registered none. Redshirt junior setter Callie Bauer contributed two blocks including one solo, while Young rounded out the blocking efforts with one. Cox also nabbed the lone service ace in the set.
NOTABLES
- Junior liberos Abby Schaefer and Callahan Wiegandt posted career highs in digs, at 26 and 11 respectively
- Kaylee Cox led in kills with 23
- Four different Hilltoppers posted double-digit kills, Cox (23), Alivia Skidmore (16), Faith Young (10), and Izzy Van De Wiele (11)
- WKU held UTEP to their third-lowest hitting percentage on the season (.194)
NEXT UP
WKU returns home to host New Mexico State on Nov. 1 and 2. First match is set for Friday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.
