WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty swept Salem University in straight sets, 25-12, 25-9, 25-13, on Tuesday at the ASRC. The hosts dominated offensively with a .291 hitting percentage, led by a strong serving performance that included nine aces. Defensively, the hosts recorded 54 digs and seven total blocks, effectively stifling the Tigers' attack, which was held to a .026 hitting percentage.
West Liberty began the first set with a strong start, quickly establishing a 7-0 lead, propelled by kills from Adrienne Staib and Liv McAtee. The team maintained momentum with contributions from Kyia White and a service ace, reaching a 12-3 advantage. The Tigers managed to break through for a few points, but West Liberty continued to press forward, with Olivia Beldean assisting on key plays.
As the set progressed, the hosts extended their lead with effective attacking plays, including kills from Grace Hill and another ace. Despite the Tigers' attempts to close the gap, West Liberty secured the set with a final score of 25-12, showcasing a well-balanced offensive effort to conclude the opening set.
West Liberty began the second set by seizing control early with a kill by McAtee assisted by Dakoda Keni, followed by a service ace from Keni. The team capitalized on the Tigers' errors, including a series of attack errors, to move to a 6-3 lead.
Lily Brinker then propelled West Liberty on a critical run, delivering a service ace and benefiting from multiple setting errors, to extend the lead to 17-4. The Tigers struggled to regain momentum, as Amira DuPree's series of kills widened West Liberty's advantage.
The set concluded with the hosts maintaining their dominance, taking the set 25-9 after another error by the Tigers. This decisive performance set the stage as they continued to control the match.
West Liberty initiated the third set with a strong offensive effort, beginning with a kill by Sidney Keni assisted by Dakoda Keni, setting the tone early. The team capitalized on the Tigers' errors and an attack error by Noemi Combi, extending the lead to 3-0 with contributions from DuPree and McAtee. Although the Tigers briefly closed the gap to 3-3, West Liberty regained momentum with a kill from DuPree and a service ace from Sidney Keni, creating a decisive 8-3 advantage.
West Liberty continued to dominate as the set progressed, with DuPree delivering multiple kills, assisted by Beldean and others, extending the lead to 18-4. Defensive plays, including a block by McAtee, combined with service aces from White, further pressured the Tigers. Despite their attempts to rally, West Liberty maintained control, highlighted by repeated successful attacks from Ashley Cudnik and DuPree.
As the set drew to a close, West Liberty secured the set with a final score of 25-13, highlighted by McAtee's finishing kill. This performance underlined the hosts' strong offensive strategy and defensive resilience, closing the set with a commanding lead.
DuPree led the West Liberty offense with 11 kills and a .556 hitting percentage across two games. McAtee contributed significantly with eight kills and two blocks, accumulating 9.5 points. Keni facilitated the team's play by adding 15 assists and collecting four digs. Beldean was effective at the net, posting three solo blocks and ten assists.
Looking ahead, the Toppers will welcome Fairmont State on Friday,, with action beginning at 7 p.m. in the ASRC.
