CONNECTS ON A CROSSCOURT KILL
IN WEDNESDAY’s MATCHUP WITH WKU.
HILLTOPPERS REGROUP QUICKLY FOR THURSDAY’s MATCH AGAINST OKLAHOMA
Western Kentucky University’s volleyball squad has never lacked for ambition.
And that was reflected on multiple fronts, in Wednesday evening’s high-profile matchup against third-ranked Louisville.
Western Kentucky stayed within striking distance, in three consecutive sets, and even forged a slight lead in the third and final set, but the Cardinals’ strength at the net was simply too much to overcome.
Louisville swept the Tops, by scores of 25-15, 25-19 and 25-19, while improving to 10-1 on the season before a lively crowd of 2,681 at WKU’s historic E.A. Diddle Arena.
Senior outside hitter Chloe Chicoine and her Louisville teammates stayed on the attack against the Hilltoppers, and WKU’s inspired effort wasn’t enough to disrupt the Cardinals’ momentum. WKU dropped to 5-5 overall, heading into another intriguing matchup against the University of Oklahoma on Thursday evening.
That match will begin at 6 p.m. The Sooners take a 5-2 overall record into the matchup.
HAD ITS HANDS FULL AGAINST
THE CARDINALS (AT LEFT).
‘LOUISVILLE IS MORE PHYSCIAL THAN US …’
WITH HIS TEAM DURING A TIMEOUT.
Veteran WKU coach Travis Hudson was duly impressed with the Cardinals, who have three middle blockers — Hannah Sherman, Brooke Bultema and Elli Strecker — who stand at least six feet, three inches tall. Just for good measure, U of L’s Kalyssa Blackshear checks in as a 6-foot-5 sophomore.
“Louisville’s more physical than us,” Hudson said.
Western Kentucky has made NCAA Tournament appearances in each of the last eight seasons, and the Hilltoppers have pretty much owned Conference USA since their arrival in 2014. The Tops have two more non-conference matchups before they leave for New Mexico State for back-to-back C-USA matchups starting on September 25 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
“First and foremost, this was a great showcase for the sport,” Hudson said. “We’re really grateful Louisville did a home-and-home (series) with us … What the sport of volleyball has, in Kentucky, is a pretty special thing.”
CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
A TEAMMATE AT THE NET.
ON THE SEASON WHILE
THE TOPS DROPPED TO 5-5.
The Cardinals collected 37 kills in the match, with a .287 hitting percentage, with Blackshear and Chicoine leading the way with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Three WKU players — sophomore receiving specialist Kaira Knox, sophomore outside hitter Sonja Laaksonen and junior outside hitter Alivia Skidmore — paced the Tops at the net, all finishing with five kills each.
Western Kentucky showed plenty of grit over the course of the match, which featured plenty of long rallies, particularly in the third and final set.
Still, in the final analysis, Louisville has an edge in experience, and depth. And WKU doesn’t have a single senior on its roster.
Hudson said the main difference was “how cleanly they handle first and second touch (on offense). We would be in it, and we would be in it, and then we would just give away three, four points … you’re toast when you do that against Louisville.”
WKU president Tim Caboni held drawings for student scholarships between the second and third sets, while the squads were in their respective locker rooms. The WKU crowd was appreciative of the home team’s effort, but Louisville’s height and strength at the net was an obstacle the Hilltoppers couldn’t conquer.
“At the end of the day, how high you are at the net matters,” Hudson said. “This is a match our team can get better from … (Oklahoma) is big, too, physical … they play really good at both ends.
“They remind you a lot of Pepperdine.”
ON SEPTEMBER 25 AT NEW MEXICO STATE.
NOTHING SHORT OF A FORCE AT THE NET.
The Tops defeated Pepperdine, in four sets, last weekend at Diddle Arena. They’ll close non-conference play on Saturday against former OVC rival East Tennessee State.
Hudson was particularly impressed with Louisville’s Chloe Chicoine, a senior outside hitter from Lafayette, Indiana who transferred to U of L from Purdue. Chicoine was everywhere for the Cardinals on Wednesday night, and she finished with a match-high 11 kills, along with three service aces and four digs.
WKU defensive specialist Tayler Baron had a team-high 17 digs, but the Cardinals finished with 22 blocks, compared to the Hilltoppers’ two.
“I think Chloe Chicoine is a huge difference maker for them,” Hudson said. “She took 31 swings tonight and had no hitting errors … her game is so polished, and complete, and that only comes from working at it, endlessly.”
AT WKU’s E.A. DIDDLE ARENA …
I’M ABOUT TO GO ON THE ROAD …