This past weekend, the Lady Topper volleyball team (16-2) traveled near and far for a weekend road swing. WKU finished things in their usual fashion, sweeping both teams in three straight sets.

“We really focused on our offensive execution in practice this week and I thought it showed throughout the weekend,” Hudson said.

Friday, Sept. 30, the Lady Tops found themselves in Ruston, Louisiana, as they took on the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech (8-9).

Offensively, the Lady Tops weren’t led by junior Alyssa Cavanaugh, as they have been many times this season, but by redshirt sophomore middle hitter Amara Listenbee and sophomore middle hitter Rachel Anderson. The duo was responsible for almost half of WKU’s offensive output as they recorded 21 of the Lady Tops’ 44 kills.

Listenbee put together a career high 10 kills in the victory. Anderson led the Lady Tops in kills with 11 on the evening. Cavanaugh finished with eight kills.

Anderson and Listenbee were also working on the defensive side of the ball. The two recorded three block assists each in the contest.

Junior setter Jessica Lucas put up 35 assists in the match. The All-American also had six digs and a service ace.

After the Lady Tops took down the Bulldogs in straight sets, they were headed back to familiar territory.

The “one hundred miles of hate” rivalry was back in action this weekend as WKU took on rival Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The Lady Tops came to play Sunday afternoon, but in this matchup it was Cavanaugh who stole the spotlight.

The All-American outside hitter showed that she was on a mission. Cavanaugh finished with an unprecedented .789 hitting clip with 15 kills on 19 attacks.

Cavanaugh’s performance earned her a spot in the record books. She now shares the fifth best individual hitting rate in WKU history.

WKU was hitting on all cylinders offensively as the Lady Tops hit .500 as a team in the victory over the Blue Raiders.

“I thought our kids really respected the rivalry between ourselves and MTSU and came out ready to play,” Hudson said.

Anderson threw down eight kills on 11 attempts in the match which was good for a .545 hitting percentage.

Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Dellinger chipped in for six kills on a .429 clip. Junior outside hitter Sydney Engle also got in on the action as she finished with a .357 rate on six kills.

Engle also served up five aces in the match, good enough to secure a team high 29 service aces on the season. The outside hitter added five assists and five blocks.

Lucas ended the match with 34 assists, seven digs, three kills and a block.

Hudson was proud of his team and how they played as the Lady Tops moved to 4-0 in conference play after the victory.

“It was a balanced effort,” Hudson said. “Amara had a really solid weekend with career highs Friday and then Alyssa was unstoppable today. I am very proud of our team’s focus and effort today. It was a tough road trip having to be in Ruston, Louisiana, on Friday and then here [MTSU] on Sunday.”

WKU is back in action Thursday, Oct. 6, as they travel to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to take on the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss.

Reporter Matthew Stewart can be reached at 270-745-6281 and [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MES_WKU22.