(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) — WKU Volleyball clinched its sixth consecutive Conference USA regular season championship Thursday with a 3-0 sweep over Liberty. The Hilltoppers (24-6, 17-0 CUSA) posted an impressive .408 hitting percentage, dominating the match against the Flames (13-16, 7-10 CUSA), who hit .228.
Senior outside hitter Kaylee Cox and freshman pin hitter Alivia Skidmore led the attack with 16 and 15 kills, respectively. The Hilltoppers were also strong at the net, with sophomore middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele contributing four kills and a solo block.
In the first set, WKU jumped out to a 25-19 win, led by Cox and Skidmore’s five kills each and a team hitting percentage of .424 (18-4-33). Van De Wiele added four kills, and freshman outside hitter Faith Young contributed a block.
The Hilltoppers kept their momentum in the second set, winning 25-17. Skidmore and Cox each recorded five more kills, with Skidmore hitting a stellar .500 (5-1-8) and Cox posting a .455 clip (5-0-11). Van De Wiele added her first solo block, and Skidmore notched the match’s first service ace.
WKU closed out the match with a 25-23 win in the third set. The Hilltoppers hit .378 (16-2-37) in the final frame, with Skidmore leading the way with six kills, while Cox added five. The Hilltoppers also recorded three service aces in the set.
With the victory, WKU earned its 13th regular-season championship in the last 14 seasons. Cox posted her 13th double-double of the season with 15 kills and 12 digs, while Skidmore added two service aces to lead the team in that category.
Head coach Travis Hudson praised his team’s resilience after the match, noting the tough competition from Liberty and their ability to stay composed under pressure. “It just means so much to see, to know the work our kids put in every year to try to get into a position to win a championship,” Hudson said.
WKU will play its final CUSA regular-season match against Liberty on Friday at 6 p.m. CT.
