The Western Kentucky volleyball dynasty continues to roll.
Facing a pair of match points while trailing 14-12 in the deciding fifth set on Sunday afternoon, the Hilltoppers rattled off four unanswered points to stun FIU, defeating the Panthers 3-2 (25-18, 20-25, 26-28, 25-23, 16-14) at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
With the victory, WKU (27-5) secured its third consecutive Conference USA Tournament Championship. The win also marks the program’s 10th consecutive victory and locks up their 18th NCAA Tournament berth in school history, marking their seventh straight appearance in the Big Dance.
The Hilltoppers have now won 21 of a possible 24 CUSA championships between the regular season and the tournament.
It took a career performance from multiple Hilltoppers to hold off the Panthers (20-12). Sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore led the attack with a career-high 25 kills. Redshirt senior setter Callie Bauer was the engine of the offense, dishing out a career-best 67 assists on her way to being named the CUSA Tournament MVP.
WKU stormed out of the gates in the opening set, hitting .500 as a team. Faith Young was nearly unstoppable early, logging eight kills on a .800 hitting clip. A 5-0 run turned a one-point deficit into a 16-11 lead, and the Tops cruised to a 25-18 win.
However, FIU refused to go quietly. The Panthers responded with a .429 hitting percentage in the second set to even the match. In the third set, errors plagued Western Kentucky. despite 16 digs from the back row, seven attack errors and five service errors proved costly in a tight 28-26 set loss that put WKU on the brink of elimination.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair featuring 15 ties and seven lead changes. With the score knotted at 21-21, the Hilltoppers found another gear. Skidmore delivered three clutch kills down the stretch to help WKU take the frame 25-23 and force a decisive fifth set.
In the finale, WKU found themselves in a 14-12 hole. Kaira Knox, who was a perfect 5-for-5 on attacks in the final set, helped spark the rally. The Hilltoppers scored the final four points of the match to secure the 16-14 win and the trophy.
Four Hilltoppers finished with double-digit kills. Behind Skidmore’s 25, Young finished with 19, Knox added 17, and Izzy Van De Wiele chipped in 13.
Bauer was joined on the All-Tournament Team by libero Tayler Baron, Young, and Skidmore.
Notables:
- Callie Bauer’s 67 assists brought her within 58 of the 5,000 career assists mark.
- WKU held a significant advantage in total kills, out-hitting FIU 77 to 62.
- The 77 kills were the second-highest total for the Hilltoppers this season (80 vs. Sam Houston).
- Every match between WKU and FIU at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center over the last two seasons has gone to five sets.
- Faith Young tied her career high with 19 kills.
Up Next:
Western Kentucky has earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Hilltoppers will learn their postseason destination during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 5:00 p.m. CT.
