No. 24 WKU started off hot in Sun Belt Conference play on Friday against Troy with a 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-12) sweep.

Jordyn Skinner led the team with 10 kills and eight digs. Melanie Stutsman added in nine digs and assisted on 27 points.

The win against Troy (9-7, 0-1 Sun Belt) kicked off what the Lady Toppers (15-3, 1-0) are calling their “second season” — conference play.

“We did really, really well in our non-conference schedule,” Coach Travis Hudson said. “But that means nothing. Everyone is 0-0 going into conference play.”

Redshirt junior Paige Wessel played a pivotal role in the Lady Toppers’ dismantling of Troy. 

She was second on the team in kills with eight and provided the biggest spark of the game.

The second set was the only set that was close. 

Troy brought the score to 23-18 and were starting to gain momentum. 

At that point Stutsman set a ball right at the top of the net. 

Wessel jumped up and slammed a rocket of a shot that ricocheted viciously off a Troy player and into the crowd. 

The play shut down any sense of a comeback and regained momentum for WKU, leading to a dominant third set.

Getting off to a good start in conference play was a big first step in the Lady Toppers’ league title defense, Wessel said.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “This is the second half of our season. We’re excited and ready to play.”

WKU will face South Alabama at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Diddle Arena.

The Jaguars come to Bowling Green 8-7 overall and 1-0 in conference play after a win over Middle Tennessee State.