WKU Volleyball Downs Austin Peay in Three
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – As setter Callie Bauer and outside hitter Kaylee Cox both picked up double-doubles on the night, the [RV] Hilltoppers went on to sweep Austin Peay, 3-0, in a regional midweek match up.
Set 1
Opening up the frame in the Winfield Dunn Center with a 4-1 start, the Tops hit .364 through the set, ending the three-straight run on a Gabby Weihe block assist and solo block. The Governors rallied back with three of their own to margin an early tie. Holding back the home team with an ace, block, two kills, and sideout point, the Tops advanced on a 5-1 run that would give them the lead the rest of the game. At the 12-8 Hilltoppers mark, WKU pushed out three straight kills from the front row: Logan Grevengoed, Kaylee Cox, and Callie Bauer. The Govs pushed on the Hilltopper defense in the middle, pulling out a 4-1 run then two straight. Going back-and-forth on the board with a Tops lead, WKU took set point off of a Cox kill on the left side of the court.
Set 2
Holding a 2-1 lead with a kill and sideout point, Austin Peay rallied into three straight to take a two-point lead. WKU pulled out four in a row before the Govs marked four of their own after a Hilltopper blocking error. Once the scoreboard showed 10-7 in favor of Austin Peay, the Tops burned a timeout to regroup and plan the next attack. Out of the break after some rallying, the Red and White exploded on five points in a row for a two-point lead that featured back-to-back kills for Grevengoed. The Governors in Clarksville called back with a 3-0 run to take a slight lead in the set, before WKU and Austin Peay steadied on the board by one. At the 21-20 mark, the Hilltoppers jumped on a 4-0 to reach set point and eventually take the last point.
Set 3
Cox and Briggs kills highlighted the 3-0 opening for WKU in the final frame. Four straight points for Austin Peay later gave them a one-point edge before WKU jumped on three points back. After a solo block from Briggs to give WKU their ninth point, the Tops later rallied into a 4-1 run with two kills on the right side from Kenadee Coyle. As the Hilltopperoffense cut into the Govs’ back row, back-to-back setter dumps from Bauer highlighted the first of two 5-0 runs to end the match. With Cameron Mosley now in serving, four different Hilltoppers earned kills, while Van De Wiele and Bauer tagged up to stuff a block in the middle to bring the score, 23-11. Wrapping up the sweep, 6’5” freshman Izzy Van De Wiele shot two balls from the middle to pick up the final two kills of the evening.
- WKU started Callie Bauer, Paige Briggs, Kelsey Brangers Kaylee Cox, Logan Grevengoed, Gabby Weihe, and freshman Abby Schaefer in at libero.
- A regional rival, the Tops and Govs have seen each other now 47 times in history, now the Tops holding a solid 35-12 series lead.
- Outside hitter Kaylee Cox and setter Callie Bauer both picked up double-doubles – both their second of the season.
- From the service line, Callahan Wiegandt hit back-to-back aces to lead WKU with two of the Tops’ three.
- Logan Grevengoed picked up her first double-digit kill match, collecting 10 from the middle.
- The Hilltoppers are back this weekend to host the inaugural Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic, Sept. 15 and 16 inside Diddle Arena.
