CEDARVILLE, Ohio — West Liberty University edged UIndy in a five-set thriller, 25-22, 17-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11, at the Callan Athletic Center. The Hilltoppers' resilience was on display, overcoming a 2-1 deficit to secure the victory in the final two sets. The match featured a standout defensive performance from the Hilltoppers, registering 72 digs, crucial in staving off UIndy's attack, which produced 65 kills.

Set 1  
- West Liberty initiated the set with a strong start, scoring the first two points with an Adrienne Staib kill and a service ace.  
- UIndy responded with a 4-0 run, highlighted by two kills from Maddie Lynch, to take a 5-4 lead.  
- Amira DuPree's service ace sparked a 4-0 run for West Liberty, reclaiming the lead at 11-9.  
- With the set tied at 20-20, the Hilltoppers closed on a 5-2 run, including a key kill by Liv McAtee and a final point from Olivia Beldean, to secure the 25-22 victory.

Set 2  
- UIndy built an early advantage, moving ahead 5-2 with kills from Maddie Lynch and Makenzie Pflederer.  
- West Liberty briefly closed the gap to 7-6 after an attack error by Kaitlin Fasbender, but UIndy responded with a 6-0 run, extending the lead to 13-6.  
- A service ace by Amira DuPree and a block by Grace Hill and Ashley Cudnik helped the Hilltoppers inch back to 19-14, but UIndy maintained their momentum.  
- UIndy's consistent pressure, including a service ace by Allie Wuestenfeld, allowed them to secure the set 25-17, despite West Liberty's late efforts to rally.

Set 3  
- West Liberty and UIndy exchanged early points, with Ashley Cudnik delivering a kill at 1-0 and Amira DuPree adding another to make it 3-3.  
- A 3-0 run by West Liberty, featuring kills from DuPree and Olivia Beldean, gave them an 8-6 advantage.  
- UIndy leveled the score at 14-14, sparked by two consecutive kills from Caitlin Blomberg.  
- Maddie Lynch's kill pushed UIndy ahead 20-19, part of a 5-0 run that included a service ace by Carly Fonda.  
- West Liberty could not regain momentum as UIndy closed the set 25-21, sealing the victory with a final block on Ashley Cudnik's attack.

Set 4  
- West Liberty opened the set with a strong defensive presence, forcing three consecutive attack errors from UIndy to take a 3-0 lead.  
- UIndy responded with a 7-1 run, highlighted by kills from Kaitlin Fasbender and Maddie Lynch, to pull ahead 7-4.  
- Trailing 19-13, the Hilltoppers rallied with a 5-0 scoring burst, including a service ace and a block by Ashley Cudnik, closing the gap to 19-18.  
- With the score tied at 23, Olivia Beldean delivered a crucial kill to regain the lead, and West Liberty secured the set 25-23 on a block by Adrienne Staib and Olivia Beldean.

Set 5  
- West Liberty established an early 3-1 lead with consecutive kills from Liv McAtee and Ashley Cudnik, both set up by Dakoda Keni.  
- A service ace by Kyia White extended West Liberty's advantage to 6-3, capitalizing on a service error by UIndy.  
- UIndy narrowed the gap to 9-8 following a block by Carly Fonda and Kaitlin Fasbender, but the Hilltoppers responded with a 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Amira DuPree.  
- Ashley Cudnik's kill, assisted by Dakoda Keni, and Liv McAtee's final point secured West Liberty's 15-11 victory to close out the set.

Ashley Cudnik led West Liberty with 17 kills and recorded a total of 20 points across the matches. Amira DuPree contributed significantly with four service aces and collected 15 digs, finishing with 19.5 points. Dakoda Keni facilitated the offense with 26 assists and added 14 digs on defense. Adrienne Staib was a force at the net, tallying six total blocks.

Looking ahead, the Hilltoppers will face Cedarville tonight at 7 p.m.