WKU Opens CUSA Play With Sweep of Gamecocks

Friday, September 26

Bowling Green, Ky.

6 p.m. CT

Western Kentucky University

10-4,1-0CUSA

Jacksonville State

6-7,0-1CUSA

Jacksonville St.

Western Ky.

Photo by: Nico Pascarella/WKU Athletics

9/26/2025 8:13:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Facing match point a total of five times in set three, WKU pulled out the sweep of Jax State on Friday night at E.A. Diddle Arena.

Down by four in the third set and coming out with the win, the Hilltoppers (10-4 overall) bested the Gamecocks (6-7 overall) on all fronts, led by junior middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele with 13 kills and five blocks while freshman defensive specialist Kennedy Cherry posted four service aces.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: 25-15
WKU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, opening the match with a 4-0 run. During the frame, Van De Wiele dominated with four kills and four total blocks. Van De Wiele's .375 hitting percentage helped power the WKU offense to a .379 hitting clip, totaling 14 kills and only three errors in 29 attempts. The Hilltopper defense held the Gamecocks to a -.031 hitting percentage, thanks to 12 digs and four team blocks. JSU committed eight hitting errors and one reception error, helping WKU earn its first service ace of the match.

Set 2: 30-28
Sophomore middle hitter Faith Young kicked things off with a service ace, but the second set was anything but easy. The two teams played through five set points before Van De Wiele sealed the deal with her ninth kill of the night. The Hilltopper offense totaled 15 kills on a .122 hitting percentage. WKU outperformed JSU at the service line, five service aces to one, with Cherry and freshman setter Kate Rush each delivering two. Senior defensive specialist Abby Schaefer anchored the back row with a team-high nine digs.

Set 3: 28-26
The Hilltoppers earned their first sweep of the 2025 season in dramatic fashion, overcoming a four-point deficit with a 7-2 run to take the match. Posting a .208 hitting percentage, both sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore and Van De Wiele broke into double-digit kills as Skidmore collected 10 and Van De Wiele had 13. Cherry added two more service aces to finish with a career-high four. At the net, Skidmore recorded her first solo block of the match, while Rush added another.

NOTABLES

Both Callie Bauer and Abby Schaefer finished with a season-high 15 digs.
Kennedy Cherry recorded a total of four service aces.
Izzy Van De Wiele posted a team-high 13 kills.
Bauer posted the second double-double of the season for the Hilltoppers with 15 digs and 26 assists.