FROSTBURG, Md. — The West Liberty University volleyball team battled Frostburg State to five sets Monday night at Bobcat Arena but came up short in a 3-2 Mountain East Conference decision. The set scores were 17-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-13 and 11-15.
The Hilltoppers fell to 10-19 overall and 9-6 in MEC play, while Frostburg State improved to 10-15 overall and 7-8 in conference competition.
West Liberty finished with advantages in kills, hitting percentage and digs, recording 57 kills to Frostburg State's 43, hitting .294 compared with the Bobcats' .232 and collecting 65 digs to 49. Frostburg State held the edge in service aces, 11-7, and total blocks, 6-2. The Hilltoppers also committed 18 service errors.
Amira DuPree led West Liberty with 15 kills, 13 digs and three service aces. Setter
Dakoda Keni directed the offense with 39 assists while adding 14 digs and six kills, hitting .462.
Taylor Speake contributed 16 digs and five assists, while
Adrienne Staib finished with eight kills without an error on 16 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage. Staib also recorded two block assists.
West Liberty faced an early deficit in the opening set, trailing 11-6 before using kills from DuPree,
Sidney Keni and
Dakoda Keni to close within 13-11. Frostburg State answered with a four-point run later in the set to extend its advantage to 21-13. The Hilltoppers added late kills from DuPree,
Dakoda Keni and
Ava Trentman, but the Bobcats claimed the opener, 25-17.
The Hilltoppers responded emphatically in the second set, building a 17-11 lead before winning seven of the next eight rallies to reach set point at 24-12. Trentman,
Dakoda Keni and DuPree each contributed kills during the closing stretch, while
Jessa Anderson added a service ace. West Liberty closed out the set on a Frostburg State service error for a 25-13 victory.
West Liberty made another push in the third set, rallying from a 12-9 deficit to take a 13-12 lead.
Sidney Keni recorded a kill,
Adrienne Staib and
Giana Bogunovich teamed up for a block, and DuPree added a service ace during the run. Frostburg State responded by taking eight of the next nine points, including four service aces, to regain control and win the set, 25-18.
The fourth set belonged to the Hilltoppers from the start. West Liberty scored the first six points and won seven of the opening eight rallies to build a 7-1 advantage.
Taylor Speake helped fuel another run from the service line as the Hilltoppers moved from 10-5 to 14-5, with kills from Staib and DuPree and a Frostburg State attack error contributing to the stretch. DuPree later delivered back-to-back kills to make it 24-11, and West Liberty finished the set with another 25-13 win to force a deciding frame.
West Liberty carried its momentum into the fifth set, opening with a 7-3 lead behind two DuPree kills and an Anderson service ace.
Sidney Keni's kill later put the Hilltoppers ahead 10-7, but Frostburg State answered with five consecutive points to take a 12-10 lead. West Liberty pulled within one on a Bobcat service error, but Frostburg State secured the final points for a 15-11 set victory and the match.
The Hilltoppers return home Thursday, Nov. 5, to host Wheeling in their regular-season finale. The 7 p.m. matchup at the Academic Sports and Recreation Complex will also serve as Senior Night.
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.
