After dropping the first two sets, WKU reverse swept the Aggies, marking the first since they did so against New Mexico State on Oct. 18, 2002. The Hilltopper attack managed 73 team kills with four different Hilltoppers logging double figures in Kaira Knox (22), Alivia Skidmore (18), Faith Young (11), and Eliza McKnight (10).
HOW IT HAPPENED
WKU 3, NMSU 2
SET ONE - NMSU 25, WKU 19
The Aggies took the early lead before McKnight and Skidmore stuffed a block for the first Hilltopper point of the day. The first WKU kill of the day was logged by Sonja Laaksonen. A 3-1 Aggie run ensued, forcing a Hilltopper timeout, trailing 7-4. NM State was first to scratch 10 in the frame, holding a five point lead. Skidmore fired off a kill, Kate Rush and McKnight followed with the second WKU block of the day for a 10-7 score. The Aggies jumped out to a six point, 15-9 edge at the media timeout. Rush fed McKnight to push the Tops into double digits, still behind by six. NM State grabbed their largest lead of the set, forcing a WKU timeout, down 21-13. A Rush kill stopped a three-point skid. McKnight, Young, and Laaksonen notched straight kills to force an Aggie timeout, trailing 24-18. Knox denied NM State access for the fourth straight point. An Aggie kill closed out the first, 25-19.
SET TWO - NMSU 25, WKU 19
Rush connected with McKnight for the first point of the second. The Aggies answered with four straight. A serving error and the second kill for McKnight brought WKU within one. Much like the first frame, the Aggies were first to 10, holding a four point edge over the Hilltoppers. Consecutive NM State aces forced WKU into a timeout, down 12-6. Skidmore fired off a kill to snap the 4-0 streak. Rush fed Knox, propelling the Tops past 10, now trailing by four. At the media break, WKU still trailed by four. Young hammered her fourth kill to bring WKU within three at 16-13. Three in a row for the Aggies forced the second Hilltopper timeout. Knox stopped the skid with her seventh kill for a 20-14 score. Now down eight, a 3-0 WKU run, highlighted by the fourth kill off the hand of Skidmore forced the Aggies into their first timeout at 22-17. The first WKU ace, this by Young, brought WKU within four. Skidmore's kill made it 22-19 but the Aggies grabbed the last three to take set two, 25-19.
SET THREE - WKU 25, NMSU 20
Knox tallied the first WKU kill of the third to even the score. Young pushed her kill total to five, evening things up again, this time at three-all. Rush found Skidmore to give WKU their first lead of the frame at 5-4. Consecutive kills from Rush and Skidmore allowed the Hilltoppers to grab a two point advantage. Laaksonen found a gap in the Aggie front line to even the score at 10. Up 12-11, a three point WKU run, bookended by a pair of Knox kills, gave the Hilltoppers a four point edge at the media break. NM State pulled within one before Knox converted her 11th kill for a 16-14 lead. An Aggie ace evened the score up at 17. Rush fed Young as WKU took the lead back. Izzy Van De Wiele and Skidmore stuffed a block to push WKU over 20, holding a three point margin, forcing an Aggie timeout. NM State pulled within one before Rush hammered down her third kill for a 22-19 lead. McKnight logged a kill and Skidmore served up an ace for set point. WKU claimed the final point, forcing a fourth set.
SET FOUR - WKU 25, NMSU 21
Van De Wiele fired off her first kill to open the fourth frame of action. The Hilltoppers jumped out to a 3-1 lead but the Aggies responded with four straight to grab a 5-3 lead. Rush found Knox who slammed down her 14th kill to bring WKU within one. Down two again, Laaksonen fired off straight kills and Young followed for a 7-6 edge. Kennedy Cherry fired off the fourth Hilltopper ace of the afternoon to give WKU a 10-8 advantage. A 4-1 run, capped by a Skidmore kill, allowed the Hilltoppers to grab a four point lead in the frame at 14-10. Skidmore pushed her kill total to a dozen for a 15-11 lead at the media timeout. Young notched a kill and forced the Aggies to burn a timeout, ahead by five at 19-14. The 53rd WKU kill was off the hand of Rush for a 20-15 edge. McKnight fired off her sixth kill for a five point advantage, now two points from forcing a fifth set. Rush connected with Young for a kill for a 25-21 fourth set win.
SET FIVE - WKU 20, NMSU 18
Knox fired off a kill for the first WKU point of the fifth. Knox logged her second kill of the set and Skidmore followed with an ace for a 4-2 lead. A 3-0 Hilltopper run allowed for a four point advantage to develop, leading 8-4. Skidmore's 15th kill put WKU up 9-5. A 3-0 Aggie run made it a one point set, forcing a WKU timeout. McKnight pushed the Hilltoppers over 10, holding a two-point margin. Back-to-back Aggie points evened the score. A NM State kill forced a Hilltopper timeout, now down 11-10. Another kill for Young gave WKU a 14-12 lead and forced an Aggie timeout. A back-and-fourth battle ensued as McKnight fired off a kill for the seventh chance for match point. An Aggie attack error gave WKU the fifth set 20-18.
NOTABLES
- For WKU, the reverse sweep marks the first since they did so against New Mexico State on Oct. 18, 2002. That match was also in Las Cruces.
- The Hilltopper offensive attack on Saturday managed 73 total kills with four Hilltoppers logging 10+ in the category.
- WKU's 73 kills mark the most thus far in the 2026 campaign.
- Kaira Knox led the WKU attack on Saturday, logging 22 kills along with six digs and a block.
- For Knox, her 22 kills Saturday matches a career best set against Indiana on Sept. 19, 2025.
- Alivia Skidmore added 18 kills, a team best three aces, three digs, and a block.
- Skidmore's 18 kills are a season best.
- Faith Young (11) and Eliza McKnight (10) both finished with double digit kills in the win.
- Kate Rush set a new career high in assists, notching 63. The setter added seven digs, four kills, and two blocks in the effort.
- Rush marks the first Hilltopper to tally 60+ assists since Callie Bauer notched 67 against FIU on Nov. 23, 2025.
- Izzy Van De Wiele led the defensive front, finishing with three blocks. The senior added a kill and an assist.
- Tayler Baron tallied 19 digs on Saturday to lead the team in the category.
- Kennedy Cherry and Cali Foster both finished with seven digs apiece. Cherry also tallied an ace.
- Saturday marked the fourth five set match of the season for WKU. The Hilltoppers are 2-2 in them.
QUOTABLE
On the win, head coach Travis Hudson said "Proud of our kids for just hanging in there. We continue to ride the roller coaster of good and bad play. But they hung together and found just enough. Reverse sweeps are an incredibly difficult thing to pull off, especially on the road."
NEXT UP
WKU continues CUSA play, hosting Missouri State starting Friday, Oct. 2. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be streaming on ESPN+. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
FOLLOW THE TOPS
For complete information on WKU Volleyball, follow the team on X @WKUVolleyball and head coach Travis Hudson @TravisHudsonWKU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
