INSTITUTE, W.Va. — The road to the MEC title begins Sunday in Institute.

Defending conference champion West Virginia State, the No. 1 seed in the MEC South Division and No. 8 in the NCAA Atlantic Region, opens its postseason at 1 p.m. Sunday when it hosts North Division No. 4 seed West Liberty in the MEC Quarterfinals at Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets (14-3-1, 14-1-1 MEC) enter on an 11-match unbeaten streak, having won six straight and outscored opponents 44–12 since their last loss on Sept. 28 at Concord. Over that stretch, WVSU has averaged 4.0 goals per game while posting four shutouts. The Jackets rank second in the MEC in total goals (54), first in points per game (8.33), and third in goals allowed (1.18) — numbers that have propelled them back into the NCAA regional top 10.

Earlier this week, the team's balance was recognized with a program-record eight All-MEC selections, the most of any school this season.

Series Snapshot

Since becoming a varsity program in 2020, West Virginia State leads the all-time series 4-2-1 against West Liberty, including a 4-1-1 record at home and three straight wins. The teams last met Oct. 12 in Institute, where State claimed a 3–2 victory behind goals from María Alejandra Hernández Díaz, Ece Lea Evin, and Leila Karam.
WVSU controlled that match early, outshooting the Hilltoppers 15–2 in the first half, while Poppy Bastock made several key stops in the closing minutes to seal the result.

The Opponent

West Liberty (4-13-1, 2-11-1 MEC) clinched the final playoff berth in the North Division with a 2–0 win at Wheeling on the regular season's final day. The Hilltoppers are 2–2–1 in their last five, a stretch that includes a 9–0 victory at Salem and a 1–1 draw at Point Park, both fellow North Division teams.

Statistically, West Liberty averages 1.56 goals per game and allows 3.44, led by forwards Perla Bäckberg (7 goals, 2 assists) and Maya Taggart (6 goals, 2 assists), the latter of whom scored both goals against WVSU earlier this year. Goalkeeper Cianna Butera has been among the MEC's busiest, recording 139 saves and three shutouts in 17 starts.

The Defending Champs

For WVSU, Leila Karam (10 goals, 22 points) and Sara Paris Filter (8 goals, 20 points) headline the conference's most dangerous attack, with Laura Pouedras contributing six assists — second-most in the MEC. Poppy Bastock anchors the back line with five shutouts and a 1.25 goals-against average, backed by the defensive trio of Hannah Aneley Núñez Perreira, Avril Amil Ruiz, and Nagi Higashi.
Midfielders Aika Tobaru and María Alejandra Hernández Díaz have added a crucial scoring touch, each tallying four goals on the year.

What's at Stake

A win Sunday would send the Yellow Jackets back to the MEC Semifinals, which would also be hosted in Institute as long as State remains in the tournament. It's the first step in their quest to defend their conference crown and strengthen their NCAA Tournament résumé.

The Big 3: When, Where, Watch

Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 9 — 1 p.m.
Admission: FREE!
Location: Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium (Institute, W.Va.)
Watch: MEC Digital Network
Follow: @WVSU_GoJackets | #GoState | #MECTournament