WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Shippensburg rallied for a 3-1 victory over West Liberty on Saturday at ASRC, winning by scores of 26-24, 23-25, 25-20, 25-23. Shippensburg's effective attack, with a hitting percentage of .204, proved decisive against West Liberty's .139. West Liberty recorded 10 service aces, but Shippensburg's superior blocking, with seven total blocks, stymied the hosts' efforts.
The first set began with a challenging stretch as Shippensburg opened on a 6-0 run, capitalizing on several errors. West Liberty responded effectively with a series of points, highlighted by a service ace from Kyia White and consecutive kills from Liv McAtee and Ashley Cudnik, leveling the score at 9-9. In a dramatic conclusion, the teams traded points to a 24-24 tie, but Shippensburg edged ahead to take the set 26-24, despite a strong performance by Grace Hill who tied the set with a crucial block.
The second set began with West Liberty's Kyia White securing the first point with a kill assisted by Dakoda Keni. The home team then gained momentum with a series of blocks and kills by Grace Hill and Ashley Cudnik, establishing a 10-5 lead. Despite Shippensburg's efforts to close the gap, West Liberty's Olivia Beldean facilitated crucial plays, including an intense finish with Grace Hill's block on Isabelle Bombas and an attack error by Hailey Cappleman, sealing a narrow 25-23 win for West Liberty.
The third set began with West Liberty taking a quick 2-0 lead, highlighted by kills from Sidney Keni and Liv McAtee, both assisted by Dakoda Keni. However, Shippensburg responded with a series of strong plays, including a service ace and multiple kills from Elise Bragg, to establish a 13-6 advantage. Despite a late effort from West Liberty, which featured kills by Kyia White and Ashley Cudnik, Shippensburg maintained their lead and closed out the set with a 25-20 victory.
Beginning the fourth set, West Liberty faced an early challenge with Shippensburg taking a 5-1 lead, propelled by key plays from Hailey Cappleman and a couple of errors from West Liberty. However, West Liberty responded with a resilient stretch, tying the score at 7-7 with critical contributions from Kyia White and Grace Hill, both delivering kills with assists from Olivia Beldean. As the set progressed, West Liberty seized a narrow lead at 17-14, highlighted by service aces and efficient setting from Dakoda Keni and Bella Dart. Despite a competitive exchange of points that saw both teams tied at 20-20, the Raiders managed to close the set with a 25-23 win, as Elise Bragg's kill secured the visitor's narrow victory.
Kyia White led the hosts with 13 kills and posted four service aces while contributing 21 digs across four sets. Bella Dart recorded 24 digs, showcasing her defensive capabilities on the court. Amira DuPree added five service aces to her performance, complementing her 10 digs. Grace Hill contributed significantly at the net, tallying five total blocks and adding seven kills.
Up next for West Liberty they will face Gannon at 6 p.m. in the final game of the West Liberty Invite.
