WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty picked up its first Mountain East Conference victory of the season in decisive fashion Friday night, sweeping Fairmont State 25-23, 25-16, 25-12 inside the ASRC. The win moves the Hilltoppers to 8-9 overall and 1-1 in league play.
West Liberty's offense was led by a strong service game, recording six aces, while their defense tallied 10 total blocks, effectively stifling the Falcons' attack and holding them to a .028 hitting percentage.
The first set commenced with West Liberty establishing an early lead, capitalizing on a block by Ashley Cudnik and Adrienne Staib. Liv McAtee contributed a kill assisted by Dakoda Keni, putting the team ahead 2-0. Despite a few errors allowing Fairmont State to momentarily tie the score, West Liberty regained momentum with a service error from the visiting team and a kill by Grace Hill, assisted by Olivia Beldean.
As the set progressed, the teams exchanged points, with West Liberty briefly falling behind. However, they responded with consecutive service aces from Staib and Beldean to close the gap to 18-17. The home team's resilience was on display as they overcame the Falcons' advantage in the final stretch. A series of blocks, including two by Staib, helped West Liberty level the score and ultimately clinch the set 25-23, securing a narrow victory to open the match.
West Liberty initiated the second set with strong momentum, quickly capitalizing on an attack error by Joey Borelle and a kill from Cudnik, both facilitated by Keni. West Liberty extended their early lead to 4-2, with Staib and Kyia White contributing significant kills. Despite a brief rally from the Falcons, which saw them tie and momentarily lead at 7-5, West Liberty maintained composure.
Midway through the set, West Liberty regained control with a series of kills from White and a timely block by McAtee, pushing the score to 14-11. A sequence of errors from the Falcons further extended West Liberty's advantage. West Liberty's offensive efforts were highlighted by consistent contributions from Cudnik and White, who repeatedly broke through the opposing defenses.
In the latter stages, West Liberty continued to build on their lead with decisive plays, including kills from Erin Blackston and another from Cudnik, culminating in a 25-16 set victory. West Liberty's defense, punctuated by Staib's block, secured the final point, closing the set with a confident lead.
West Liberty opened the third set with a strong performance, quickly establishing a lead with an early kill by Staib and capitalizing on the Falcons' attack errors. The team maintained momentum with solid contributions from White and a service ace, extending their advantage to 10-3.
The Falcons attempted to respond with kills from Alexa Martin and Borelle, but West Liberty continued to press forward. Beldean's precise setting led to key kills from Blackston and McAtee, expanding the gap to 18-9.
As the set progressed, West Liberty maintained control, with Hill and Cudnik adding decisive points. The set closed with a kill by Cudnik, securing a 25-12 victory for West Liberty and a commanding stance in the match.
Staib led the defensive effort with six total blocks and added 10 points. White contributed offensively with 12 kills and recorded 14 digs. Keni facilitated the team's attack, posting 15 assists and collecting nine digs. Beldean delivered from the service line with three aces and assisted on eight occasions.
In their next game, West Liberty will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face Point Park on Tuesday. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.
