Glenville, W.Va. – The West Liberty University volleyball team opened their 3-game road stretch with a commanding 3-1 win over Glenville State in the Waco Center on Friday evening, as only one of the four sets was decided by less than ten points. The Hilltoppers won the match with set scores of 25-13, 25-18, 12-25, and 25-14.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Glenville State 1
Team Records: West Liberty 17-6 (6-2 MEC), Glenville State 7-14 (2-6 MEC)
Attendance: 50
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Glenville State opened the match by taking five of the first six points before West Liberty responded with a 5-1 run of their own to tie the match at six apiece. After GSU's Helin Halden put down a kill to take a one point lead, Katelynn Fritz notched a pair of service aces to start a 10-0 scoring run to take control of the set. A kill by Grace Hill extended the lead to double digits at 20-10 as the Black & Gold took nine of the final 13 points. Bella Dart clinched set point at 25-13 for the Hilltoppers.
• Back-to-back service aces from Dakoda Keni opened set two as West Liberty jumped out to the early 7-2 advantage. Glenville State got back within two points as a 4-1 scoring run brought the score to 8-6. The teams then traded scoring runs of 5-1 for WLU and 4-1 for GSU midway through the second frame. A kill from Hill and a Pioneer attack error gave the Black & Gold their largest lead of the set at 19-12. Glenville State made one final push with a 5-2 scoring run before West Liberty closed the set with a 4-2 rally, with the set being won 25-18 on a GSU error.
• Glenville State gained control of set three from the beginning, opening the set on an 8-1 scoring run. West Liberty scored four consecutive to cut the lead back to three, however the Pioneers went on an 11-2 run to push the lead to double digits at 19-7. Kills by Page Gross and Leah Driscoll helped a mini 3-1 run to cut the deficit to ten, but GSU closed the set by taking five of the last seven points to earn the 25-12 win.
• After being even at three early in the fourth set, a double block by Hill and Fritz set the tone to open up a 9-5 lead on a 6-8 scoring run. The Pioneers took two straight points but four GSU errors helped push the lead to eight on a 7-1 scoring run for the Hilltoppers. A double block from Keni and Hill clinched match point as the Black & Gold ended the frame with six of the final eight points.
• West Liberty held the advantage in the match with a .203 attack percentage compared to .132 for Glenville State. The Hilltoppers held the edge in points (60-55), kills (47-38), assists (44-35), and digs (81-72) while the Pioneers held the advantage in aces (9-8) and blocks (8-5).
• Gross notched a career-high ten kills in the win while Driscoll collected her tenth double digit kill game of the season.
• Keni secured her seventh double-double of the season with 34 assists and 15 digs. It was her second match of the year with 15 or more digs, one shy of her season-high mark.
• After recording her 1,000^th career dig in the last match, Fritz added her fifth consecutive double digit dig performance and 14^th of the season.
• Nyia Setla recorded her 22^nd double digit dig game of the year and fourth consecutive.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Leah Driscoll: 12 kills, .189 attack percentage, 5 digs
Page Gross: 10 kills, .348 attack percentage, 2 digs, 2 aces, 1 block
Dakoda Keni: 34 assist, 15 digs, 2 blocks, 2 aces
Nyia Setla: 19 digs, 6 assists, 1 ace
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty closes out the weekend with a second consecutive road match when they visit Concord tomorrow afternoon. The Hilltoppers and Mountain Lions are set for a 1 p.m. first serve at the Carter Center Gym 2 in Athens, West Virginia.