Ashland, Ohio – The West Liberty University volleyball team overcame a first set defeat to win the following three to earn the 3-1 match victory over Parkside on Friday afternoon. The Hilltoppers dropped the first set by a 25-19 score, however a commanding second set win of 25-8 set the tone for the remainder of the match as they closed out 25-19 and 25-22 wins in sets three and four.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Parkside 1
Team Records: West Liberty 1-0, Parkside 1-1
Attendance: 110
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Parkside used early scoring runs to grab the momentum in the first set, scoring seven straight points to go up 9-2 early on. After trailing by as many as eight in the set, West Liberty rallied off five consecutive points to get with three points at 13-10, however the Rangers never surrendered the first set lead and went on to win 25-19.
• The momentum shifted in set number two, where after a back-and-forth start, the Hilltoppers used a commanding 19-3 scoring run to win the set 25-8. During the second frame WLU hit .346 compared to -0.258 for UWP.
• The momentum continued into the third frame as West Liberty snatched an early 6-1 advantage, as Riley Cudnik notched three early kills in the set. More back-and-forth action would occur for the remainder of the frame as Parkside would get as close as three points and the Hilltopper lead would grow to as much as seven points. WLU recorded a match-high .500 hitting percentage in the third frame, collecting 15 kills in the set.
• The Rangers took an early 3-0 lead in the fourth set, however the Hilltoppers went on another major scoring run, taking 17 of the next 22 points to grab a 17-8 advantage. UWP scored seven consecutive points in an attempt to get back into the game and attempt to push the match to set five, but WLU withstood the back-and-forth action and Kaija Sydlowski recorded her seventh kill of the match to win match point.
• West Liberty held the advantage in five of the six statistical categories: points 63-59, kills 49-48, aces 6-5, blocks 8-6, and assists 43-42.

 
WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Riley Cudnik: 15 kills, .481 hitting percentage
Haley Zeck: 20 assists, 6 digs
Kaija Sydlowski: 7 kills, 19 digs
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will face the host school, Ashland, in tonight's tournament nightcap. The Hilltoppers and Eagles are set for a 7 P.M. first serve in Kates Gymnasium.