NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 15 WKU Volleyball overcame a slow start to take down weekend host Lipscomb in a four-set decision Friday night from Nashville. The Hilltoppers opened LUV Invite play with an 11-ace showing while holding the Bisons – one of the top serving teams in the NCAA – to just one ace. Nadia Dieudonne posted her first double double of the season while four Hilltoppers owned nine or more kills in the match.
"What won this match for us was our ability to serve and pass," shared head coach Travis Hudson. "Lipscomb is one of the best serving teams in the country. Even when we were struggling early, the one group I was praising in our huddles was our ball-control players. For us to stand in there for four sets against Lipscomb and give up one service ace is a remarkable accomplishment and it's why we were able to turn the tide. Even when we struggled early, we stayed steady handling the ball and it made all the difference in the world."
WKU improved to 4-0 on the season with Friday evening's victory while Lipscomb fell to 2-3 after dropping both of its matches in the LUV Invite to start.
Set 1
Lipscomb jumped out to a quick start, taking an early 8-2 lead. However, the Hilltoppers worked back into it thanks to a six-serve run from Dieudonne to even the score at 9-9. The Bisons would hit double digits first and run out to a 15-10 advantage before the media timeout. Kayland Jackson struck for a kill out of the break but Lipscomb would push ahead to an 18-12 and 24-18 lead. WKU pulled within 24-21 after back-to-back kills from Lauren Matthews and Jackson but Lipscomb would take the set – and first lead on WKU by an opponent this season – by a score of 25-21.
Set 2
The Hilltoppers returned the favor of a quick start in the second frame after a kill from Matthews and solo block from Dieudonne opened the set. From there, the sides stayed within a couple points of each other through the media timeout at 15-13 in favor of WKU. Jackson and Katie Isenbarger teamed up for a block out of the break before Isenbarger followed with a solo stuff on the next point for a 17-13 lead and subsequent Lipscomb timeout. A few points later, Cameron Mosley struck for an ace to give WKU a 22-15 advantage and force LU's final timeout before Matthews closed the set with back-to-back kills for the 25-17 set two win to even the match at 1-1.
Set 3
Set three saw Lipscomb own a slim 5-4 lead before a Jackson kill and five-serve run from Isenbarger helped the Tops to an early 10-6 lead. Hudson won his second challenge of the match for a replay early in the frame. The Hilltoppers pushed to an 11-6 lead before doubling up the Bisons at 16-8. Dieudonne pieced together another extended stay from the service line to close the frame, tossing up six-consecutive serves to help the Red and White to a 25-11 set three win.
Set 4
Jackson opened the final set with a kill before Lipscomb responded for the lone tie of set four at 1-1. An attack error from the Bisons would give WKU the lead for good. The Tops would hit double digits at 10-5 and work ahead to an 18-12 advantage to force a timeout by the hosts. Out of the break, Dieudonne struck for one of her three aces. Matthews would again close the set with a kill, securing the 25-17 victory for the 3-1 win.
The Hilltopper offense improved every set of the match as WKU worked at a .433 hitting percentage in the final frame to bring its total for the match to a .282 rate. After the Bisons' first-set win, Lipscomb would not hit above a .111 in any of the final three frames. The Bisons would end up hitting just a .138 on the match.
Matthews led three Hilltoppers into double-digit kills with 15 of her own on a .379 hitting clip. Paige Briggs tallied 14 kills to go along with eight digs, two aces and a perfect serve-receive rating. Jackson notched 10 kills on .300 hitting in addition to three blocks.
Isenbarger finished with a season-best nine kills while operating at a .400 hitting clip and tallying four blocks (two solo), three digs and two aces.
Defensively, Logan Kael racked up 15 digs and was joined in double digits by Dieudonne who tallied 13 to go along with 45 assists for her first double double of the season.
SCHEDULE
Friday, September 3 – No. 15 WKU def. Lipscomb, 3-1
Saturday, September 4 – noon | No. 15 WKU vs. Kansas | Stats | Watch | WKU Radio
Saturday, September 4 – 4:30 p.m. | No. 15 WKU vs. Wake Forest | Stats | Watch | WKU Radio
NEXT UP
The Hilltoppers will return to Allen Arena on Saturday for a pair of Power Five matchups in the LUV Invite. WKU will open the day against Kansas at noon before closing weekending play against Wake Forest.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- WKU kept its same starting lineup from the spring to open the weekend in Nashville with Paige Briggs, Nadia Dieudonne, Avri Davis, Lauren Matthews, Kayland Jackson, Logan Kael and Katie Isenbarger. This combination is 4-0 on the season.
- Despite four seasons between meetings between WKU and Lipscomb, the Hilltoppers kept with their winning ways over the Bisons, improving to 11-1 all-time against LU. The Tops have won the last eight meetings against Lipscomb.
- Friday's opener against Lipscomb marked the Tops' second contest against a 2020 NCAA Tournament team in as many weekends after downing No. 25 Notre Dame opening weekend.
- Three Hilltoppers worked into double-digit kills for the second time in as many matches as Matthews (15), Briggs (14) and Jackson (10) each worked into double figures.
- Nadia Dieudonne delivered her first double double of the season with 45 assists and 13 digs to go along with three aces. The performance was her 11th of the sort as a Hilltopper and 22nd overall of her collegiate career.
- Six different Hilltoppers registered an ace as the team racked up 11. The last time WKU hit double-digit aces as a team was March 7, 2021 against FIU when the Tops recorded 10.
- With the win, head coach Travis Hudson is now 670-216 across his career.
- WKU Volleyball is now up to an all-time program record of 949-491 with Friday night's win at Lipscomb.
How to Follow WKU Volleyball: For complete information on WKU Volleyball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUVolleyball and head coach Travis Hudson at @TravisHudsonWKU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
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Tops Rack Up 11 Aces in Four-Set Win at Lipscomb to Open Weekend - WKU Athletics
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