ELKINS, W.Va. — The West Liberty University volleyball team continued its strong start to Mountain East Conference play Tuesday night, defeating Davis & Elkins, 3-1, at the McDonnell Center by scores of 25-15, 25-19, 25-27 and 25-15.
The Hilltoppers improved to 3-13 overall and 2-0 in MEC play with their second consecutive conference victory. West Liberty hit .218 for the match while holding the Senators to a .090 attack percentage.
West Liberty also finished with a 44-35 advantage in kills, a 56-49 edge in digs and an 11-9 advantage in service aces.
Amira DuPree paced the Hilltoppers with 16 kills, 12 digs, three service aces and 19 points.
Adrienne Staib added eight kills while hitting .538, along with an ace and a solo block.
Sidney Keni contributed seven kills on a .462 hitting percentage.
West Liberty took control early in the opening set, scoring the first seven points behind two DuPree aces. Davis & Elkins cut the deficit to 15-11, but the Hilltoppers answered with five straight points, including three Staib kills and another DuPree ace.
Julia Birck closed the set with a kill as West Liberty prevailed 25-15.
After falling behind 7-2 in the second set, the Hilltoppers rallied to take an 11-10 lead on a DuPree kill during a
Taylor Speake service turn. West Liberty then closed the set with five consecutive points to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-19 victory.
Davis & Elkins answered by taking the third set, 27-25, despite a late Hilltopper rally. West Liberty trailed 21-16 before
Jessa Anderson served the Hilltoppers to within 21-20. Birck and DuPree recorded kills during the run, and West Liberty eventually turned a 23-20 deficit into a 25-24 lead following a
Dakoda Keni service ace. The Senators, however, scored the final three points to extend the match.
The Hilltoppers responded in the fourth set, winning seven of the final eight rallies to pull away for a 25-15 victory. DuPree delivered three kills during the closing stretch, while Speake and
Dakoda Keni each added a service ace.
Keni finished with 12 assists, eight digs, four kills and two aces, while Speake contributed to the defensive effort as West Liberty limited Davis & Elkins to a .090 hitting percentage.
West Liberty returns to action Friday when the Hilltoppers visit Fairmont State for a 7 p.m. MEC match at Joe Retton Arena.
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.
