For the fourth-consecutive season, WKU Volleyball has claimed at least a share of the Conference USA regular season title with today’s sweep at Middle Tennessee. The 25th-ranked Lady Toppers are the first Conference USA squad to ever win four-straight regular season titles and would clinch the outright title with a win at North Texas. Rachel Anderson delivered 14 kills to lead the way as the Lady Toppers won their 23rd-straight match and moved to 27-2 overall.
With the sweep, the Red and White are up to 21 three-set wins on the year, which leads the NCAA. WKU is now 13-0 in Conference USA matches and has won 38-straight matches against C-USA foes dating back to 2015.
Middle Tennessee came out strong in the day’s opening set, leading WKU as late as 9-7, before the Lady Toppers strung together nine-straight points. With a 16-9 lead the rest of the way to the 25-20 first-set win. Anderson led the way for WKU with eight kills in the frame as the Lady Toppers worked at a quiet .296 offensive clip.
Set two saw the Red and White lead from start to finish after Anderson and Taylor Dellinger combined for a block to get things going. WKU worked ahead to a 12-3 advantage thanks to a Sophia Cerino service ace and then pushed ahead to a 16-4 lead. MTSU fought back, putting together multiple runs but the Lady Toppers closed the door with a Kayland Jackson kill for the 25-13 set two win. WKU worked at a .308 attack rate in set two while limiting the Blue Raiders to a .083 clip.
WKU and MTSU traded points to open the third set before the Lady Toppers pushed ahead to a 5-2 lead they would not relinquish. The Red and White worked ahead to an 8-3 advantage before Middle Tennessee called for a stoppage, out of the break WKU extended the lead to 11-4. Pulling back within four at 12-8, MTSU wasn’t going away and worked back within four points on multiple occasions. Down the Stretch, the Lady Toppers closed the door by claiming the final three points for the 25-16 win. Anderson and Jackson each added three kills in the frame as WKU saw six different players register a kill. The Lady Toppers worked at a blistering .632 offensive rate in the final set.
Anderson led the way for WKU for the second-straight match with 14 kills after posting 15 Friday night at Rice. The junior also added three block assists, three digs and a pair of assists to go along with her .385 attack rate.
(Courtesy WKU Athletics)