It was a weekend full of volleyball on The Hill as WKU volleyball hosted the Hyatt Place Invitational, losing all three games on the weekend.
On Friday morning the Hilltoppers found themselves in yet another five set thriller where they came up short against Marquette 3-2. Later on in the night the Hilltoppers took on Dayton where the Flyers got the best of them 3-0.
On Saturday, Illinois toppled WKU 3-1.
Game One
The Hilltoppers and Golden Eagles went back and forth for the majority of set one. Late in the set, thanks to serving from sophomore middle hitter Gabby Weihle, the Hilltoppers took a 24-18 lead. To put the set away, redshirt junior setter Callie Bauer set up freshman outside hitter Alivia Skidmore for the kill as the Hilltoppers took set one 25-19.
The second set was all about runs. Marquette jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in set two before three kills from sophomore middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele and an attack error from Marquette gave the Hilltoppers a 5-4 lead. WKU and Marquette traded blows before three straight kills by redshirt senior outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton gave the Golden Eagles a 24-20 lead. Despite the set looking over, the Hilltoppers went on a five point scoring run started by a service error by Marquette. Kills from senior outside hitter Kaylee Cox and Van De Wiele, WKU took a 25-24 lead late. Despite the huge run from the Hilltoppers, Marquette got a kill and service ace to take set two 27-25.
Much like sets one and two, set three saw Marquette and WKU trade points until the Hilltoppers jumped out to a 19-14 lead. After a four point run set up by Marquette’s graduate setter Yadhira Anchante the Golden Eagles closed the gap to make it 19-18. After the Golden Eagles closed the gap, the set was put away after two back-to-back kills from Cox gave the Hilltoppers set three 25-22.
To begin the fourth set Marquette jumped out to a large 9-3 lead due to the tough serving from sophomore defensive specialist Molly Berezowitz and multiple kills from senior right side hitter Ella Fonti. Despite the efforts from WKU the early run by the Golden Eagles was too much as Marquette forced a fifth set showdown, winning set four 25-22.
Marquette came out firing to take a 7-4 lead in the fifth set. After a run set up by serving from graduate libero Madyson Chitty the Hilltoppers took a much needed 8-7 advantage. After switching sides of the net, Marquette took over thanks to two service aces from senior outside hitter Jenna Reitsma. Marquette took an 11-9 lead and then after three consecutive kills by Hamilton, the Golden Eagles took the set and the match 15-10.
Game Two
In the first set against the Flyers the Hilltoppers were unable to get anything started early. The serving from Dayton gave the Flyers a formidable 8-3 lead. Despite the Flyers jumping out to a five point lead, a run set up by senior outside hitter Katie Howard gave the Hilltoppers a much more manageable 8-6 disadvantage. After a much needed media timeout with Dayton up 15-9 the Hilltoppers came out firing and made it only a four point deficit. Despite the comeback from WKU, the serving from Dayton and the holes in the block of WKU gave the Flyers set one 25-19. The Flyers were led by junior middle blocker Liana Sarkissian who ended set one with five blocks.
Dayton began the second set much like the first coming out firing to give them a slim advantage of 8-6. The Hilltoppers and Flyers traded points back and forth for the majority of the second set. Serving from Sarkissian put Dayton up 17-14 late in the set as they looked to close it out. WKU and Dayton continued to trade blows back and forth, however the early two point lead from the Flyers was too much for the Hilltoppers as Dayton took set two 25-20.
For Dayton, it was the story of the middle attackers that gave them the upper hand. WKU was unable to get any offense started, and the little offense the Hilltoppers were able to string together was shut down by the block of Dayton.
The Hilltoppers were able to stay close to begin the third set. It was the serving of WKU that gave them the upperhand. With the Flyers having a slim 10-8 lead over the Hilltoppers, the serving from junior setter Callahan Wiegandt and kills from Cox, WKU took a 12-10 lead. With WKU up 15-13, two kills from Sarkissian and the serving from Dayton’s junior libero Karissa Kaminski, the Flyers were able to take the lead 16-15 late in the set. Dayton was able to put the set out of reach thanks to the dominance of Sarkissian who had three straight kills set up by senior setter Alyssa Miller to give the Flyers a 21-17. In spite of a little run from the Hilltoppers to put them behind 22-20, the Flyers exposed the holes in the defense of the Tops once again and won the set and match 25-20.
Game Three
In set one against Illinois the Hilltoppers hung tough due to Cox leading with seven kills, and Van De Wiele combined with senior right side hitter Kenadee Coyle to deliver six blocks. WKU led late, but the Illini were too much, and the Hilltoppers fell 27-25.
WKU needed a strong set to tie things up, and they took over. The Hilltoppers led early and never looked back, with a 25-19 win. Bauer dominated with three service aces and combined with Cox to deliver six kills.
The Hilltoppers never seemed to get things going in the third set, falling 25-13. The Illini led for the majority of the match. Four different Hilltoppers were responsible for five kills, and Cox added to her resume this match with a service ace of her own.
The fourth set was a match of runs. After a slow start, the Hilltoppers stormed back with a 4-0 run. The Illini countered with several runs, including four straight near the end of the match. Although the Hilltoppers played tough, the Illini held on 25-19. The Hilltoppers had 11 kills in the set, and Coyle added three blocks.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action next weekend competing in the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic. The first game will be against Arkansas State on Friday Sept. 20 at 11 am.
Sports reporter Peyton Reid can be reached at [email protected]
Sports reporter Austin Rice can be reached at [email protected]
