WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University women's volleyball team opens Mountain East Conference play Friday evening when the Hilltoppers welcome University of Charleston to the ASRC for a 7 p.m. matchup.

The Hilltoppers enter their conference opener at 1-13 overall after facing a challenging nonconference schedule that included six neutral-site matches and four road contests. West Liberty's lone victory came in a five-set thriller against Thomas More on Aug. 29, while the Hilltoppers' most recent outing was a 3-1 setback at Ohio Dominican on Tuesday.

West Liberty showed plenty of fight against Ohio Dominican, winning the second set 25-17 and pushing the third set to extra points before falling 30-28. The Hilltoppers battled back from a 12-6 deficit in the fourth set to take a 14-13 lead before Ohio Dominican closed out the match, 25-19.

The Hilltoppers have been led offensively by sophomore Amira DuPree, who ranks third in the MEC with 136 kills and 2.89 kills per set. DuPree has also recorded 141 digs and 12 service aces through 47 sets.

Sophomore Sidney Keni has added 90 kills and is averaging 2.73 kills per set, while junior Julia Birck is hitting a team-best .264 with 69 kills. Birck has also been a key presence at the net with 33 total blocks, including 12 solo blocks.

Senior setter Dakoda Keni enters MEC play ranked second in the conference with 5.68 assists per set, having distributed 267 assists in 47 sets.

Defensively, senior Taylor Speake ranks fifth in the MEC with 4.15 digs per set, while DuPree is averaging 3.00 digs per set. West Liberty has totaled 681 digs through 47 sets, an average of 14.5 per set.

The Hilltoppers have also received strong production from Adrienne Staib, who has 49 kills, 14 service aces and 27 total blocks.

Charleston at a Glance

Charleston comes to the ASRC with a 5-6 overall record and a one-match winning streak after defeating Kentucky State, 3-1, on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles have gone 2-2 at home, 0-2 on the road and 3-2 at neutral sites this season.

Charleston has been one of the MEC's more efficient offensive teams entering conference play, hitting .168 as a team, fourth in the league. The Golden Eagles are averaging 10.96 kills and 10.16 assists per set while also ranking third in the conference in service aces at 1.93 per set.

Senior Kate Strong presents a significant challenge at the net. Strong ranks sixth in the MEC in hitting percentage at .313 and leads the conference with 1.60 blocks per set, totaling 67 blocks through 42 sets.

Junior Divine Muo leads Charleston with 107 kills and is averaging 2.55 kills per set while hitting .267. Muo also has 30 total blocks.

Patrycja Majos has added 78 kills while hitting .193, and Jasmine Broberg has 89 kills and 18 blocks.

Setter London Upchurch leads the Golden Eagles with 5.04 assists per set, while Sahana Rajesh ranks seventh in the MEC with 3.73 digs per set.

As a team, Charleston ranks fifth in the MEC in kills at 10.96 per set and fifth in digs at 14.60 per set. West Liberty is averaging 10.38 kills and 14.49 digs per set.

The Golden Eagles also lead the conference in blocking, averaging 2.56 blocks per set, compared with West Liberty's 1.36.

MEC Opener at the ASRC
Friday's match marks the beginning of a 20-match conference schedule for the Hilltoppers. West Liberty will remain at home for its next MEC matchup, hosting Point Park on Sept. 29 after a pair of road conference matches at Davis & Elkins and Fairmont State.

Match Information
Who: Charleston at West Liberty
When: Friday, Sept. 18 — 7 p.m.
Where: ASRC — Academic Sports & Recreation Complex
Conference: Mountain East Conference
Records: Charleston 5-6; West Liberty 1-13



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.