WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University volleyball team dropped its final two matches as the PSAC/MEC Crossover event wrapped up here Saturday afternoon at the ASRC.
    Coach Kayla Mull's Hilltoppers (6-7) started off the day with a 3-0 loss to Clarion (Pa.) in a morning match before bringing down the curtain on the two-day tournament with a 3-0 setback against Mercyhurst (Pa.).
    In the opener against Clarion (7-4), the Hilltoppers and Eagles battled on equal terms for much of the first set before a late 5-0 Mercyhurst run keyed a 25-20 win. The Eagles then jumped out to quick early leads in the final two sets and closed out the sweep with 25-15 and 25-18 wins.
    Morgan Farley had 9 kills for the Black and Gold while Renee Lemke added a dozen assists. The Hilltoppers didn't have a player with double-figure digs in the rapidly played match and weren't credited with a single block against a Clarion squad coming off a run to the semifinals of last year's NCAA Division II Atlantic Region tournament.
    West Liberty struggled early against the Lakers (8-4), who grabbed an early lead with a 25-18 win in the opening set. The Hilltoppers came out on the wrong end of a 25-20 tally in the second set and saw a late surge fall short in the final set as Mercyhurst held on for a 25-22 win.
    Senior Olivia Baumhoer and freshman Nina Billotto led WLU at the net with 9 and 8 kills, respectively. Kendall Souder had a team-high 16 assists with Renee Lemke adding a dozen. Seniors Mackenzie Sims and Kailee Cunningham finished with 16 and 15 digs, respectively.
    The Hilltoppers open Mountain East Conference play on Friday with a 5 p.m. match at No. 22-ranked Wheeling.