WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University volleyball team returns to the road this weekend for a pair of Mountain East Conference matches, visiting Glenville State on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to West Virginia Wesleyan for a 10 a.m. match Saturday.

The Hilltoppers enter the weekend at 5-15 overall and 4-2 in MEC play, sitting third in the North Division behind Fairmont State (6-0) and Wheeling (5-1). West Liberty has won four of its first six conference matches, with victories against Charleston, Davis & Elkins, Point Park and Frostburg State.

West Liberty is coming off a 3-1 setback at Wheeling on Tuesday after the Hilltoppers had won three consecutive conference matches. The Hilltoppers opened league play with a 3-1 victory against Charleston on Sept. 18, followed by a 3-1 win at Davis & Elkins, a 3-0 sweep of Point Park and a five-set victory against Frostburg State.

Sophomore Amira DuPree continues to lead the Hilltopper attack. DuPree ranks sixth in the MEC with 206 kills and 2.94 kills per set, while also contributing 213 digs. Freshman Julia Birck is hitting a team-best .305, which ranks seventh in the conference, and has added 127 kills and 43 blocks.

Sophomore Sidney Keni has chipped in 148 kills while hitting .207, while Adrienne Staib has contributed 87 kills, 34 blocks and a team-best 22 service aces. Setter Dakoda Keni ranks second in the MEC with 6.66 assists per set and has totaled 466 assists through 70 sets.

Defensively, Taylor Speake ranks sixth in the MEC with 4.43 digs per set, totaling 248 digs in 56 sets. As a team, West Liberty ranks sixth in the conference with 14.91 digs per set and ninth with 1.59 service aces per set.

Glenville State enters Friday's matchup at 9-9 overall and 2-4 in MEC play. The Pioneers are sixth in the South Division and have dropped their last two matches, including a five-set loss to West Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday.

Despite the conference record, Glenville has been one of the MEC's most productive offensive teams. The Pioneers rank third in the conference with 15.75 points per set and second with 12.52 kills per set, while leading the league with a .201 hitting percentage. Glenville also ranks second in assists at 11.57 per set.

Gracie Brown leads the Pioneers with 204 kills and 3.34 kills per set, ranking first in the MEC in kills per set. Juliana Nunez is averaging 3.19 kills per set, while Deniz Selen Yazar leads the conference with a .405 hitting percentage. Setter Irmak Bezek ranks first in the MEC with 6.75 assists per set.

Glenville also has a strong defensive presence, averaging 13.34 digs and 1.63 blocks per set. Libero Kassie Swink leads the team with 3.07 digs per set.

The Pioneers have been particularly effective at home, carrying a 4-2 record into Friday's match. Glenville's conference victories have come against Shawnee State and Charleston, while the Pioneers have dropped league matches to Point Park, West Virginia State, Concord and West Virginia Wesleyan.

Saturday's opponent, West Virginia Wesleyan, enters the weekend at 7-11 overall and 3-3 in MEC play. The Bobcats rallied to defeat Glenville State 3-2 on Tuesday, winning the deciding set 15-11.

West Virginia Wesleyan is led offensively by Bhrooke Axe, who ranks third in the MEC with 3.06 kills per set, and Emily Denison, who is averaging 2.70 kills per set. Axe also leads the Bobcats with 19 blocks, while Denison has added 40 blocks.

The Bobcats rank ninth in the conference with 13.97 points per set and 11.18 kills per set. They are hitting .150 as a team while averaging 12.93 digs and 1.30 blocks per set.

West Virginia Wesleyan has already picked up conference wins against Charleston, Davis & Elkins and Glenville State. The Bobcats also own nonconference victories against Franklin Pierce, Shawnee State and Wilmington.

The Hilltoppers rank third in the North at 4-2, while Glenville State sits at 2-4 in the South and West Virginia Wesleyan is 3-3. With the MEC postseason race beginning to take shape, both matches carry added importance for West Liberty as it looks to rebound from Tuesday's loss and continue its strong start to conference play.

Friday's match at Glenville State is set for 6 p.m., followed by Saturday's 10 a.m. matchup at West Virginia Wesleyan.



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.