WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University volleyball team returns to the Academic Sports and Recreation Complex for a pair of home matches this weekend, hosting Shawnee State on Friday at 7 p.m. before welcoming Concord for an 11 a.m. Mountain East Conference matchup on Saturday as part of Homecoming festivities.

The Hilltoppers enter the weekend at 6-16 overall and 5-3 in MEC play after earning a 3-1 road victory at West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 10. West Liberty will open the weekend against Shawnee State (7-13, 2-6 MEC) in the first meeting between the two programs before facing a Concord squad that has established itself among the conference's top teams.

West Liberty's attack continues to be paced by sophomore outside hitter Amira DuPree, who leads the Hilltoppers with 232 kills and averages 2.94 kills per set. DuPree ranks among the MEC's top 10 in kills per set. Senior setter Dakoda Keni leads the conference with 540 assists, averaging 6.84 per set, while freshman middle blocker Julia Birck ranks fifth in the MEC in hitting percentage at .306. Defensively, Taylor Speake averages 4.25 digs per set and ranks among the conference leaders in service aces with 27.

Shawnee State enters Friday's match looking to rebound from a 3-0 loss to Point Park on Oct. 10. The Bears are led offensively by Kaylee McInnis, who has recorded 173 kills, and Brianne Hicks, who has added 163. Camille Hall has contributed 115 kills while hitting .296 and leads Shawnee State's blocking effort with 58 total blocks. The Bears rank third in the MEC in blocks per set at 1.92, giving West Liberty an important challenge at the net.

Saturday's Homecoming matchup will present another tough test for the Hilltoppers against Concord (15-7, 7-1 MEC), which enters the weekend riding a five-match winning streak. The Mountain Lions have won eight of their first nine home matches and most recently defeated Davis & Elkins, 3-1, on Oct. 10. Concord ranks second in the MEC in both kills per set at 12.41 and assists per set at 11.45, while its 2.48 blocks per set also rank second in the conference.

Concord's offense is led by Meg Williams, who has recorded 220 kills and averages 2.93 per set, while Addie Adkins has contributed 168 kills and 75 total blocks. Middle blocker Jasmine Anderson leads the Mountain Lions with 97 total blocks, averaging 1.31 per set. West Liberty will look to counter that balanced attack with its own offensive production and a defense led by Speake and the Hilltoppers' blocking unit.

With a conference victory already secured last weekend, West Liberty will look to build momentum at home against two contrasting challenges. Friday's match against Shawnee State offers the Hilltoppers an opportunity to establish a new head-to-head series, while Saturday's contest against Concord provides a chance to make a statement against one of the MEC's leading teams in front of the Homecoming crowd.




West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.