West Liberty, W.Va. - The West Liberty University women's volleyball team returns to action Friday and Saturday at the IUP Invitational, looking to build on a dramatic five-set victory from its opening weekend.

The Hilltoppers enter the four-match event at 1-3 after splitting four matches at the University of Indianapolis Invite last weekend. West Liberty opened with losses to Saginaw Valley State and Indianapolis before battling back for a thrilling 3-2 victory over Thomas More on Saturday. 

West Liberty's victory over Thomas More was a battle from start to finish. After dropping the opening two sets 25-22 and 25-20, the Hilltoppers rallied to take the next three, 25-22, 26-24 and 19-17, earning their first win of the season.

Amira DuPree leads the Hilltoppers through the opening weekend with 40 kills and a 2.86 kills-per-set average. She also has 13 assists, 48 digs and four block assists. Julia Birck has added 23 kills while hitting a team-best .288, while Adrienne Staib has contributed 16 kills and eight block assists. Aleya Baptiste has 13 kills and Ava Trentman has 11 through the first four matches. Setter Dakoda Keni has directed the West Liberty attack with 60 assists, averaging 4.29 per set, while Kaelynn Burge has added 34 assists.

The Hilltoppers have also shown plenty of activity defensively, recording 199 digs through 14 sets while averaging 14.2 digs per set. Lily Brinker leads the way with 55 digs, while DuPree has 48 and Jessa Anderson has 18. Brinker is averaging 3.93 digs per set, while DuPree is at 3.43. At the net, West Liberty has recorded 17.0 total blocks, with Birck contributing nine block assists and Staib adding eight.

The Hilltoppers face another demanding four-match weekend at the IUP Invitational.

West Liberty opens Friday at 11 a.m. against host IUP before facing Daemen at 5 p.m. The tournament continues Saturday with a 9 a.m. matchup against Lake Erie, followed by a 3 p.m. meeting with Ashland.


IUP INVITATIONAL
Sept. 4-5 | Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex | Indiana, Pa.

• Friday, Sept. 4: vs. IUP — 11 a.m.
• Friday, Sept. 4: vs. Daemen — 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 5: vs. Lake Erie — 9 a.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 5: vs. Ashland — 3 p.m.

 


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.