After dropping first set, Aggies rebound to roll on to the semifinals. Next: NMSU takes on UTEP, Saturday, November 23, 2:30pm on ESPN+.
Source: Conference USA
Photo: Courtesy NM State Volleyball via Facebook
EL PASO, TEXAS – The 2024 Conference USA Volleyball Championship began Friday with UTEP hosting at Memorial Gym in El Paso, Texas. The league’s top eight teams competed on day one of the three-day, single elimination round for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
WKU, Kennesaw State, UTEP and NM State each punched their ticket to the semifinals after capturing wins in the quarterfinal round. The championship action continues Saturday with a pair of games as (1) WKU takes on (4) Kennesaw State at 12 p.m. MT, while No. 2 UTEP will compete against No. 3 NM State at 2:30 p.m. MT. Both matches are broadcast on ESPN+.
Match 1: (1) WKU 3, (8) FIU 1 | Box Score
No. 1 WKU fights off No. 8 FIU 3-1 as the CUSA Regular Season Champions move on to the semifinal round on Saturday. WKU extended its winning streak to 22, while the Panthers season ended at 8-25.
Izzy Van De Wiele led the Hilltoppers with a match-high 19 kills on a .469 hitting clip and chipped in eight blocks. CUSA Setter of the Year Callie Bauer recorded a double-double with 50 assists and 10 digs. CUSA Player of the Year Kaylee Cox also tallied a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.
FIU’s Jillian Huckabey was the leading scorer for the Panthers, posting 14 kills and nine digs. Courtney O’Brien recorded 12 kills, seven digs and two blocks, while Savannah Cook tallied 42 assists and eight digs.
Match 2: (4) Kennesaw State 3, (5) MTSU 2 | Box Score
No. 4 Kennesaw State holds on to win a five-set thriller (25-14, 25-27, 14-25, 25-19, 15-12) against MTSU on Friday afternoon. It was a back-and-forth battle as Kennesaw State (14-16) recorded more kills (66), blocks (13) and digs (51) to end the Blue Raiders season at 13-18.
Manu Johnsen (21) and Kiernan Stamey (18) combined for 39 of the Owls 66 kills. Olivia Burrage tallied a match-high seven blocks and added 15 kills. In the Owls 6-2 offense, Kourtney Brown dished out 25 assists, while Kaeley Walz posted a double-double with 23 assists and 11 digs.
Adri Rhoda led Middle Tennessee with 26 kills and a .309 hitting percentage. CUSA Freshman of the Year Andi Spies nearly recorded a double-double with 44 assists and nine digs. Laure Jansen tallied a team-high 14 kills and chipped in five kills and two blocks.
Match 3: (2) UTEP 3, (7) Liberty 0 | Box Score
No. 2 UTEP cruises to a sweep of No. 7 Liberty as the Miners win their seventh consecutive match. UTEP recorded 45 team kills and 10.5 blocks, holding the Flames to a .058 hitting percentage. Liberty ends its season with an overall record of 13-18.
UTEP had a balanced offense as three Miners recorded nine kills apiece in Sara Pustahija, Ema Uskokovic and Kaya Weaver. Danika Washingtonposted a match-high eight blocks and chipped in six kills. Kalia Kohler dished out 18 assists, while Mattie Gantt tallied 14 assists.
Kamryn Bacus led the Flames offensively with eight kills, while Madison Blane chipped in seven kills. Erica Lowery recorded a team-high nine digs. Charli Morris (12) and Charli Crown (10) combined for 22 assists.
Match 4: (3) NM State 3, (6) Sam Houston 1 | Box Score
No. 3 NM State defeated No. 6 Sam Houston 3-1 as the Aggies will move on to face the No. 2 seeded UTEP on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MT. NM State went on an impressive 17-2 run in the second set to top the Bearkats 25-8, holding the Bearkats to a .070 team hitting percentage. Sam Houston ends its season with a 13-17 overall mark.
Mari Sharp led the Aggies with a career-high 23 kills and nine digs. Yasso Amin posted 16 kills, hitting .500 and added four blocks. Darian Markhamtallied a match-high 25 digs and chipped in seven assists and two service aces. Nellie Reese and Rilen Garcia recorded 25 assists apiece.
Sam Houston was led offensively by McKenzie Morvant with eight kills, while Chelsea Butler chipped in seven kills. CUSA Libero of the Year Hannah Baker recorded a team-high 15 digs and Avery Fowler nearly had a double-double with 25 assists and eight digs.
