Buffalo, N.Y. – After going to five sets in the opening game of the D'Youville Tournament earlier today, the West Liberty University volleyball team took care of business in straight sets, sweeping Lake Erie 3-0. The Hilltoppers defeated the Storm by set scores of 25-21, 25-17, and 25-19.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 3, Lake Erie 0
Team Records: West Liberty 5-2, Lake Erie 0-6
Attendance: 50
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• West Liberty was able to momentarily get out to a 9-5 lead to open the match, however Lake Erie used a 5-1 run to tie the game back up at ten. After trading 4-1 scoring runs the game remained tied at 17, but the Hilltoppers outscored the Storm 8-4 to end the set after Nyia Setla recorded the kill to win the frame 25-21.
• After trailing 4-3 in the early portions of the second set, a pair of kills from Page Gross helped spark a 6-0 scoring run to put WLU in front 9-4. With back-and-forth action for much of the set, the Black & Gold led by as many as nine points at 24-15. A kill from Ashley Cudnik captured the 25-17 set win for West Liberty.
• Three attack errors by the Storm allowed the Hilltoppers to jump out to an early 3-0 lead in set three, but Lake Erie battled back quickly to rally a 12-4 scoring run to gain a five point edge midway through the set. WLU held their composure and put together a 6-1 scoring run of their own with kills by Ashley Cudnik and Katelynn Fritz to go along three LEC attack errors and a service error. Fritz's kill tied the set at 13 but the momentum continued to build and extended the scoring run to 11-2 after Liv McAtee added a pair of kills and Fritz notched two more. LEC cut the lead down to two at 21-19, however West Liberty ended the match with four consecutive points and won match point on a double block by Ashley Cudnik and Grace Hill.
• Tonight's match marked only the second time this season that a West Liberty attacker failed to reach double digit kills and the Storm also held the Hilltoppers to a season low .140 attack percentage.
• With seven total blocks in the match, Hill tied a career-high set earlier this season against Ashland.
• With 16 digs once again tonight, Setla has reached double digit digs in every contest this season.
• The Hilltoppers held the advantage in the match with a .140 attack percentage compared to .009 for the Storm. WLU also held the overall advantage in total points (48-36), kills (33-30), aces (5-3), blocks (10-3), and digs (51-46). Both teams tallied 29 assists.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Nyia Setla: 16 digs, 2 assists, 2 aces
Dakoda Keni: 16 assists, 9 digs
Haley Zeck: 11 assists, 4 digs
Riley Cudnik: 6 kills, .214 attack percentage, 2 aces, 2 digs
Grace Hill: 7 blocks, 3 kills, 1 dig
 
UP NEXT
West Liberty will continue play in the D'Youville Tournament tomorrow afternoon when they play East Stroudsburg in the second game of the day. The Hilltoppers and Warriors are scheduled for a 12 p.m. first serve at the College Center in Buffalo, New York.