WKU Volleyball took two games against Delaware, Friday and Saturday, for the final regular-season home games.
WKU defeated Delaware in four sets on Friday and swept the Blue Hens on Saturday during senior day.
Junior middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele could not be stopped, finishing with 28 kills total in both games along with 15 blocks. The surrounding cast of freshmen, outside hitter Kaira Knox and sophomore outside hitter Faith Young, finished with 29 and 17 kills, respectively.
Game One
WKU took set one 25-21. Neither team budged early, trading points back and forth. A kill from Knox was the spark the Hilltoppers needed, going on a short 3-0 run to take a 12-9 lead. Delaware took advantage of miscommunications from the Hilltoppers to tie it 15-15 late.
After an unsuccessful challenge from the Blue Hens made it a 22-20 Hilltopper lead, giving the momentum to WKU. A kill from Van De Wiele put the set away.
WKU took set two 25-22. Much like set one, neither team seemed to get the upper hand, going back and forth 12-12. The Blue Hens kept it close, making it hard for WKU to find any momentum, tied 20-20 late. The swings of Van De Wiele and Knox jump-started the Hilltoppers, going on a 5-2 run to end the set.
WKU fell 25-22 in set three. The Blue Hens came out of the gates hot, leading for most of the set. The Hilltoppers could not solve the block of Delaware, as the Blue Hens took a 20-15 lead late.
The swing of WKU came alive, led by sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore, going on a 7-2 run to tie it 22-22. The Blue Hens found their footing once again, going on a 3-0 run to take the set.
WKU took set four and the match 25-13. The Hilltoppers did not let set three slow them down, being in control early and taking a 10-5 lead. The Hilltoppers continued to roll, taking advantage of gaps in the Blue Hens’ defense to take a 17-8 lead.
Delaware could not seem to replicate the success it found in the third set, having just four kills. An attack error from Delaware gave the Hilltoppers the set and match.
Game Two
WKU took set one 25-16. A slow start from WKU gave Delaware an early 4-0 lead. The Hilltoppers came charging back, finding the floor and going on a 10-2 run to take a 10-6 lead.
WKU did not look back, finding the holes in the block. A kill from freshman outside Sonja Laaksonen gave the Hilltoppers the set.
WKU took set two 25-12. The Hilltoppers continued to ride all of their momentum from set one, taking a 7-3 lead early behind Young. The Blue Hens could not stop the Hilltopper offense with Skidmore behind the service line, going on a 6-0 run to take a 19-9 lead.
WKU backed up their offense with defense, tallying three blocks. A kill from Young gave the set to the Hilltoppers.
WKU took set three and the match 25-12. The Hilltoppers prevented the Blue Hens from finding any momentum, jumping out to a 6-0 lead. The ball continued to find the floor behind the swings of multiple Hilltoppers. A kill from junior middle hitter Gabby Weihe gave the set and match to the Hilltoppers.
WKU Volleyball will close out its regular season schedule on the road next weekend against Liberty. First serve is set for Nov. 14 5 p.m. CT and is streaming on ESPN+.
