WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University volleyball team brought down the curtain on the MEC/PSAC Crossover with a three-game sweep of Slippery Rock Saturday afternoon at the ASRC.
    Coach Kayla Mull's Hilltoppers (9-3), who had dropped a 3-0 decision to Clarion in the first match of the day, had a much easier time of it against The Rock (3-5) in the finale. West Liberty pulled away late for a 25-20 win in the opening set and battled back from a 23-22 deficit to take command with a 26-24 verdict in the second set. That set the stage for a 25-18 clincher to close out the sweep.
    Senior standout Raimey Benson paced the Black and Gold with 15 kills and 3 blocks while Caitlin Clarke had a strong match with 7 kills and a team-high 17 digs. Freshman Abbi Gillson matched Clarke's 7 kills and Benson's 3 blocks. Kendall Souder just missed a double-double with 22 assists and 8 digs.
    In the morning match, WLU held off a late Clarion surge for a 25-23 win in the opening set but the Pennsylvania squad took control with back-to-back 25-17 verdicts in the next two sets. The Hilltoppers forced the fourth set past regulation but couldn't finish it off as Clarion (9-3) closed things out with a 26-24 decision.
    Olivia Baumhoer was the only West Liberty player to reach double-figures in kills with 10 finishes but several other Hilltoppers put up big numbers in a losing cause. Benson had 8 kills and 5 blocks while Clarke added 7 kills. Gillson had 5 kills and a match-high 6 blocks while Morgan Farley contributed 5 kills and 15 digs.
    Amanda Leonard posted a double-double with 15 assists and 16 digs while Kailee Cunningham and Jo Lyn Jurek finished with 22 and 17 digs, respectively.
    The West Liberty women open Mountain East Conference play on Friday when they host Fairmont State in a 7 p.m. match at the ASRC.