MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Oct. 4, 2024) – The West Virginia University volleyball team (6-9, 0-4 Big 12) was downed by Houston, 3-1 on Friday night with scores of 24-26, 14-25, 25-22 and 20-25 inside the Fertitta Center in Houston.
Offensively, WVU was led by redshirt junior outside hitter Cassidy Tanton who collected her ninth career double-double with 14 kills and digs.
Additionally, senior outside hitter Hailey Green notched 13 kills while junior opposite Lauren Bodily added 10.
Sophomore setter Alexis Finnvold counted her fifth double-double of the season, with 40 assists and 14 digs.
Defensively, graduate student libero Sydney Reed collected 15 digs, while sophomore middle blocker Maddy McGath totaled five blocks.
West Virginia led early in the first set, after an error from Houston and an ace from freshman libero Eily Painter, 2-0. The teams traded points on both sides of the net, until a kill from Tanton gave WVU the 8-7 lead. A 5-0 scoring run from the Mountaineers switched the game momentum, as West Virginia took the 14-10 lead. A kill from Green would be the last point of the set for the Mountaineers, as Houston stormed away with a 3-0 run to take set one, 26-24.
The score was knotted early in set two, as the score was tied at three all. A 4-0 run from the Cougars shut down West Virginia, as they trailed 11-6. A late trio of points off Houston errors helped the Mountaineers, as UH continued with the 18-13 lead. Houston went on to seal the second set with five straight points, 25-14.
West Virginia started off the third set hot, with a 3-0 advantage. A pair of kills from Green extended the Mountaineers lead, 7-3. A trio of kills from Bodily, Green and Tanton locked in the offense momentum for WVU, 14-8. Houston looked to capture the third set with a late 4-0 run, before a kill from Green made the score, 22-20. A kill from Tanton, along with two UH errors gave WVU set three, 25-22.
Houston began the fourth and final set, 3-1. A 3-0 Cougars run would let the squad lead by as many as six, 12-6. Back-to-back kills from Bodily gave West Virginia hope, as the Mountaineers trailed, 19-15. Houston went on to dominate the fourth set, taking the 25-20 set victory to win the match.
Next, West Virginia will return home to host No. 8 Kansas on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. ET, inside the Coliseum. The Mountaineers will then serve host to Kansas State, on Oct. 13 at 1 p.m.
Press Release Courtesy of West Virginia University Athletics Communications
