West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University volleyball team will make their season debut in the ASRC on Tuesday evening as they welcome Indiana (PA) to the hilltop. WLU will look to continue to protect the home court as they have posted a 26-8 home record in the previous three seasons. The Hilltoppers and Crimson Hawks are set for a 6 p.m. first serve.

GAME DETAILS

• Location: West Liberty, W.Va. (ASRC "Academic Sports & Recreation Complex")
• First Serve: 6 P.M.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters Tuesday's match with a record of 2-2 on the season after defeating Parkside (3-1) and Central State (3-0) but falling to Ashland (3-2) and New Haven (3-1) in the Ashland University Volleyball Tournament.
• Nyia Setla was named to the All-Tournament Team at Ashland during the opening weekend and was named the MEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. She totaled 80 digs (5.00 digs per set) and added 16 assists during the first four matches of the season. She is currently second in the MEC in total digs and tied for fourth in digs per set.
• Riley Cudnik leads the Hilltopper attack, totaling 45 kills (2.81 kills per set) in the opening weekend to go along with a .418 attack percentage. She also added 13.0 total blocks (0.81 blocks per set) in the first four matches of the season. She ranks second in the MEC in attack percentage and ninth in points per set with 3.44.
• Freshman setter, Dakoda Keni, totaled 90 assists on the opening weekend and ranks eighth in the MEC with 5.63 assists per set. She posted at least 17 assists in each of the first four games of the season and recorded 25 or more twice.
• With eight service aces in the opening weekend, Bella Dart has the second most in the conference and ranks fifth with 0.53 assists per set. She recorded a new career-high of four service aces in a sweep of Central State this past weekend.
• With 15.0 total blocks, Grace Hill not only leads the Black & Gold but is tied for the MEC lead. She is averaging 1.15 blocks per set, which ranks second in the conference.
• Through four matches West Liberty is hitting .222 while averaging 12.4 kills, 11.4 assists, 1.3 aces, 16.1 digs, and 1.8 blocks per set.
• WLU was picked third in the North Division of the 2023 MEC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Riley Jarrett is in her fourth season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 51-32 with the Hilltoppers. She collected her 50^th career win in the season opener against Parkside.

INDIANA (PA) STORYLINES

• Indiana enters Tuesday's match with a record of 3-1 on the season after defeating Wilmington (3-1), Chestnut Hill (3-0), and West Chester (3-1) following a season opening loss to Rollins (3-2).
• Nyla Birch leads the Crimson Hawk attack, totaling 44 kills (2.75 kills per set) in the opening weekend to go along with a .288 attack percentage which ranks 11^th in the PSAC. Birch also ranks 15^th in the conference in kills per set.
• Kat Warpinski is the top setter for Indiana, totaling 88 assists during the opening weekend, averaging 5.50 per set which ranks 14^th in the PSAC.
• Bailey Flowerdew has recorded nine service aces early on in the season, averaging 0.56 per set which is tied for eighth best in the conference. She also leads IUP defensively with 52 digs (3.25 digs per set).
• At the net IUP has two of the top blockers in the conference as Caroline Walsh (1.19 blocks per set) and Lauren Valentic (1.06 blocks per set) rank fourth and sixth respectively in the PSAC. Walsh has totaled 19 blocks and Valentic 17 blocks through four matches.
• Through four matches Indiana is hitting .200 while averaging 10.8 kills, 9.8 assists, 2.3 aces, 11.6 digs, and 2.4 blocks per set.
• IUP was picked third in the West Division of the 2023 PSAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Lorelle Hoyer is in her second season as the head coach at Indiana with a career record of 23-10 with the Crimson Hawks.

SERIES HISTORY

• West Liberty and Indiana (PA) have met five times since the 2014 season, with the Hilltoppers holding the 3-2 edge in the series.
• WLU has won the last two meetings, most recently a 3-0 road sweep of the Crimson Hawks on September 14, 2019.