Hilltoppers Win in Four Against Missouri State

Friday, October 3

Springfield, MO

6 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

12-4,3-0CUSA

Missouri State

5-9,0-3CUSA

Western Ky.

Missouri St.

Outside hitter Faith Young (22) | Photo by Nico Pascarella

Photo by: Nico Pascarella/WKU Athletics

10/3/2025 11:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- WKU Volleyball played its first four-set match of the season on Friday against Missouri State as sophomore middle hitter Alivia Skidmore totaled 18 kills and junior middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele led at the net with five blocks.

The Hilltoppers (12-4 overall, 3-0 CUSA) finished the match with .319 hitting percentage and outblocked the Bears (5-9 overall, 0-3 CUSA) 12 to nine. With the win, WKU moves to 3-1 overall against Missouri State.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: 25-21
Finishing the set hitting almost .400, the Hilltoppers earned the first win of the night thanks to six kills from Skidmore and an additional four from junior pin hitter Kendall Meller. WKU opened the set with a 4-0 run and closed it with a block from Van De Wiele and Meller. Despite the Bears earning more kills than the Hilltoppers in the set, WKU didn't allow MSU to string more than a couple of points together thanks to a sideout percentage of 41% to MSU's 31.8%. At the net, Van De Wiele led with three blocks and Skidmore was right behind her with two. WKU finished the set with four total team blocks.

Set 2: 25-16
The Hilltoppers erupted in the second set, swinging at a .424 hitting percentage and only committing one hitting error as sophomore middle hitter Faith Young led the way with five kills. With the score at 7-8 in Missouri State's favor, Young collected four back-to-back kills to put WKU on top, 11-8. Those four kills also allowed the Hilltoppers to take the lead and never give it back. The Tops added another three total blocks thanks to a solo block from freshman outside hitter Sonja Laaksonen, two blocks from Young, and another from freshman setter Kate Rush.

Set 3: 25-20
While the Hilltoppers posted more kills than the Bears in set three, WKU's service errors and a match-low .184 hitting percentage was the difference in the lone set loss of the match. Skidmore led in the third with four kills while Young and Van De Wiele posted three each. Missouri State also collected a total of three service aces.

Set 4: 30-28
WKU managed to almost double their hitting percentage in set four, from .184 in the third to .309 in the fourth. The fourth set had a total of 18 ties and the lead switched hands six times. In addition, the Hilltoppers faced match point a total of five times before Skidmore put the match away with her 18th kill of the night. Young continued her success with seven kills and a .500 hitting clip in the final set. Skidmore posted four kills while Laaksonen was responsible for three. Laaksonen was also responsible for the single solo block in the set.

NOTABLES

With her 18 kills, Alivia Skidmore crossed the 500 career kills threshold.
Two Hilltoppers finished in double-digit kills. Alivia Skidmore finished with 18 kills while Faith Young finished with a career-high 16.
Tayler Baron anchored the back row with 23 digs, her eighth double-digit dig match of the season.
Izzy Van De Wiele led at the net with a total of five blocks. Sonja Laaksonen led in solo blocks with two.
Kate Rush posted her first double-double of the season (11d, 21a) Friday night while Callie Bauer posted her third (12d, 32a).