Salem, W.Va. – The West Liberty University volleyball team ran away with their fifth win of the season in straight sets as they defeated Salem on the road on Tuesday evening. The Hilltoppers won convincingly with set scores of 25-7, 25-19, and 25-9.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Salem 0
Team Records: West Liberty 14-4 (3-0 MEC), Salem 2-10
Attendance: 37
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After receiving the opening serve and winning the point on a Liv McAtee kill, West Liberty saw Bella Dart serve 11 consecutive times as the Hilltoppers opened up a 12-0 lead in set one. Salem attempted to regroup by taking two of the next three points, however a pair of kills by Page Gross and Katelynn Fritz fueled another 7-0 run to take a commanding 20-2 lead in the opening frame. The Tigers went on a 5-1 scoring run to cut the deficit to 21-7, but the Black & Gold clinched the set win with four straight points off three Salem errors and an ace by Gross.
• West Liberty held the early 6-5 lead in a more competitive second set, before they started to swing the momentum their direction with a 9-3 scoring run. The point differential remained 4-6 points throughout the second frame, but the Hilltoppers kept in control by taking three of the final four points to clinch the set win as McAtee put down the kill on the deciding set point.
• While West Liberty held the 4-3 advantage in the early portions of set three, the remainder of the frame was reminiscent of the quick work of the Hilltoppers in set one. A kill by Fritz set the tone for the 6-0 scoring run to open up the lead. Salem then took back-to-back points to end the scoring run before a second 6-0 rally was started with a kill by Leah Driscoll. The Tigers went on a mini 3-2 scoring run before the Black & Gold ended the match with six of the next seven points. Grace Hill sent down the deciding kill on match point for the Hilltoppers.
• West Liberty held the advantage in the match with a season-high attack percentage of .340 compared to -.011 for Salem. The Hilltoppers held the edge in points (49-19), kills (44-14), aces (4-2), assists (38-14), and digs (55-34), while the Tigers held a narrow 3-1 lead in blocks.
• With her sixth dig of the night, libero Nyia Setla became the third Hilltopper in program history to reach 2,000 career digs. She joins Kailee Cunningham who recorded 2,486 digs from 2016-19, and Courney Pyeritz who notched 2,133 from 2012-15.
• Fritz recorded her sixth consecutive double digit kill game and 13^th of the season with 11 against the Tigers.
• With a minimum of ten attacks, Hill (.800) and Fritz (.500) each set new career highs for attack percentages. Hill notched eight kills on ten attack attempts while Fritz recorded 11 on 22 attempts.
• Dakoda Keni has reached double digit assists in all 18 matches this season and recorded her 15^th of 20 or more with 26 in the win over Salem.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Katelynn Fritz: 11 kills, .500 attack percentage, 6 digs
Grace Hill: 8 kills, .800 attack percentage, 4 digs, 1 block
Dakoda Keni: 26 assists, 4 digs
Nyia Setla: 9 digs, 3 assists
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will return to Mountain East Conference play on Friday evening as they travel to Frostburg State for a North Division match-up. The Hilltoppers and Bobcats are set for a 7 p.m. first serve in Bobcat Arena in Frostburg, Maryland.