INSTITUTE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University women's volleyball team earned a 3-1 Mountain East Conference victory over West Liberty University Friday night at the Walker Convocation Center. The win improves WVSU to 11-11 overall and 7-5 in conference play, while West Liberty falls to 9-17 overall and 8-4 in MEC action.
Deniz Akgul posted 12 kills, five digs, and four block assists to lead WVSU, while Carmen Pérez and Inka Oksanen added 10 kills apiece. Kelsey Mckeehan handed out 27 assists, and Audrey Buck recorded 18 assists.
The opening frame featured back-and-forth action before West Liberty built an 11-8 advantage. WVSU responded with a 6-1 run to take a 14-12 lead, capped by consecutive kills from Akgul and Marcelina Pyka. After the Hilltoppers leveled the score at 19-19, the Yellow Jackets used a 4-0 spurt—featuring two service aces from Lilly Adkins alongside kills from Pyka and Akgul—to gain a 23-19 cushion. Akgul sealed the 25-20 opening-set win with a service ace.
West Liberty took an 11-7 lead in the second set behind a four-point run before WVSU answered with a surge anchored by back-to-back McKeehan aces to reclaim a 15-12 advantage. The Hilltoppers leveled the frame at 18-18 before WVSU pushed ahead 20-18. West Liberty eventually earned a set point at 24-22, but an Akgul kill and a combined block by Ahaziah Smith and Akgul leveled the score at 24-24 before the Hilltoppers claimed the final two points to take the set 26-24.
WVSU bolted to a 3-0 lead in the third frame behind consecutive match-opening kills from Akgul. The Yellow Jackets extended the margin to 11-7 before a 4-1 push gave WVSU a 15-8 lead. West Liberty closed within 17-14, but WVSU answered with a 5-1 run to stretch the lead to 21-15. An Oksanen kill gave WVSU set point before a West Liberty attack error secured the 25-18 victory for the Yellow Jackets.
Both teams exchanged runs early in the fourth set, with West Liberty scoring four unanswered points before WVSU reeled off five straight to take a 5-4 lead. The teams traded points until a 3-0 Yellow Jackets run yielded a 12-11 advantage. West Liberty rallied to take a 20-15 cushion and extended it to 23-19 before WVSU orchestrated a 6-1 run to take a 25-24 lead. The teams continued to trade points until a Maya Vilmar kill gave WVSU a 27-26 advantage, and a match-ending block by Akgul and Pyka secured the 28-26 set win and the 3-1 victory.
The Yellow Jackets return to action Monday, Oct. 26, traveling to face Shawnee State University before returning home to host Glenville State University on Friday, Oct. 30, for their home finale.
