2 weeks Ago By Daily News
Western Kentucky's volleyball team opened the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic with a 3-0 (25-22, 28-26, 25-20) sweep against Arkansas State on Friday at E.A. Diddle Arena.
WKU senior outside hitter Kaylee Cox and sophomore middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele both hit over .400 for 24 total kills to help the Hilltoppers (5-6 overall) defeat the Red Wolves (8-2 overall). After a 2-0 start for the Red Wolves in the opening set, freshman outside hitter Faith Young quickly evened the score at 2-2 thanks to back-to-back kills.
Cox took the reins from the freshman and set the WKU offense into gear, finishing with six kills and a .308 hitting percentage to close out the first set. At the net, the Hilltoppers combined for three team blocks with Cox and redshirt junior setter Callie Bauer recording two each.
The Red Wolves pushed the Hilltoppers to the end in set two, but WKU came out on top thanks to five more kills for Cox in set two. Sophomore middle hitter Gabby Weihe exploded at the net defensively, racking up three blocks while the team accumulated four more to bring the match total to seven. The third and final set of the match saw the most kills from WKU at 17, led by Cox’s six.
Senior rightside hitter Kenadee Coyle contributed three of her own while Van De Wiele and Young matched Coyle’s contribution at three each. Cox earned her seventh double-double of the season with 17 kills and 13 digs. Abby Schaefer joined the double-digit club in digs with 10, while Van De Wiele’s .
467 hitting percentage is the first time she’s hit over .400 since Sept. 6 against Marist (.
889). WKU continues at the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic with a match against Eastern Illinois on Friday. First serve is set for 7 p.
m..
