Led by middle hitter Faith Young who finished Saturday with a career-high 19 kills, WKU (17-4 overall, 8-0 CUSA) dominated on offense to hand the Bearkats (8-13 overall, 0-8 CUSA) another loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: 25-21
Sam Houston came out swinging in the first set and bested the Hilltoppers in several statistical categories. While WKU outhit the Bearkats, 18 kills to 15, Sam Houston had control at the service line and at the net. Young collected six kills in the first set, while Young and rightside hitter Kaira Knox registered the only block of the set.
Set 2: 25-16
The Hilltoppers surged back in the second set, hitting .500 to the Bearkats' .111. Both teams registered two service aces, and while there wasn't much action for either net defense, WKU simply recorded more kills than the Bearkats, 17 to Sam Houston's eight. Young was responsible for eight of those 17 kills and posted a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage in the second frame.
Set 3: 25-15
WKU earned the win in the third set thanks to another 19 kills, led by outside hitter Sonja Laaksonen, who recorded six kills in the frame. The Hilltoppers also recorded the only block from either team thanks to a joint effort from middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele and setter Callie Bauer. WKU took the lead with back-to-back points to open the set and never looked back and not allowing the Bearkats to tie or take the lead.
Set 4: 25-15
Not satisfied with the score, SHSU stormed back in the fourth set with a match-best hitting percentage at .429. Their match-high sideout percentage of 85% prevented the Hilltoppers from building any momentum as the Bearkats gathered 22 kills to WKU's 17. Even though the Tops bested SHSU at the net with two blocks to their zero, Sam Houston's offense took the reins in the fourth frame and forced the match to five sets.
Set 5: 15-8
WKU opened the final set with three straight points before the Bearkats registered their first kill of the set. For the remainder of the set, WKU scored in clusters of two or three points before SHSU could answer with one. The Hilltoppers almost quadrupled SHSU's hitting percentage, swinging for a .409 hitting clip to Sam Houston's .130. Van De Wiele took the lead in the fifth set, recording three kills and two blocks in the final frame.
NOTABLES
- WKU's 100 match regular season conference win streak is now squarely in third for the longest regular season conference match win streak in NCAA DI volleyball.
- Faith Young's 19 kills set a new high for the sophomore, besting her 16 kills against Missouri State on Oct. 3.
- While 80 kills are the most for the Hilltoppers since at least 2013, their 75 digs are only the second most this season.
- Saturday's five-set match is only the eighth match to go to five sets in the 100-match win streak.
- Four different Hilltoppers finished in double-digit kills: Sonja Laaksonen (10), Alivia Skidmore (15), Izzy Van De Wiele (17), and Faith Young (19).
- 54 assists are the most for Callie Bauer since the match against Western Michigan on Sept. 16, 2023, when she recorded 59.
- 158 attacks are the second most this season.
UP NEXT
The Hilltoppers will stay home for another week as they host UTEP for a two-match series, Oct. 24-25. First serve on Friday, Oct. 24, is set for 6 p.m. CT.
