WKU Volleyball: Pre-Tournament Notebook
With the Conference USA volleyball tournament set to begin in Bowling Green on Friday, Let’s give you a quick recap and hit you with some…
With the Conference USA volleyball tournament set to begin in Bowling Green on Friday, Let’s give you a quick recap and hit you with some news and notes surrounding Travis Hudson’s squad as they embark for yet another conference tournament title.
— After the season, WKU Volleyball will lose significant firepower. The Lady Toppers are set to lose five seniors, several of which are at the top of the all-time list in multiple categories, but they have already signed three to replace them for the 2018 season. Payton Frederick and Katie Isenbarger are Under Armour All-Americans while and Lauren Matthews is an All-State performer in Indiana.
WKU’s consistent prowess on the court has finally led to significant advantages in recruiting. Lady Topper volleyball has not lost more than one regular season conference game since the 2010 season. They have earned at-large bids in the NCAA Tournament, and they have won games in the NCAA Tournament.
— The Lady Tops lost just one CUSA match this season, falling only to regular season co-champion North Texas. In an instant classic, WKU took an early set lead, conceded the next two sets, and forced a fifth with clutch play from senior leaders. Midway through the final frame, it was anyone’s match. North Texas found a way to squeak out a three point advantage and nursed it through the rest of the set, finally putting the Lady Toppers away 15–13.
Despite the loss, Coach Hudson was pleased with his ladies’ effort. They battled, and North Texas is a worthy opponent. The two squads have a combined five losses on the year. This sets up a potential epic rematch in the championship game next weekend, if both teams can make it through a tough Conference USA field.
— Lucky for the Lady Tops, their road to another CUSA title game appears to be an easy one: They open with Charlotte in the first match of the day (12 p.m. CT) and if they get by the 9ers, they’ll face the winner of the Rice/Southern Miss match.
If we’re going to get a WKU/North Texas rematch in the title game, the Mean Green will have to beat Marshall and then the winner of the UTSA/FAU match.
The first six matches of the tournament will be available through CUSA.tv, and if it’s like they did for the soccer tournament, the matches will be free. The title game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
The Conference USA Women’s Volleyball Championship will be held in Diddle Arena from November 17–19. Information is available on the Conference USA website, as well as WKU’s and other Conference USA schools’ volleyball team pages. Live stats and details will be available via those sites, as well.
The Towel Rack will be covering the tournament in detail, and we hope to see you at the conference tournament next week. Be sure you like, follow, and share to spread the word. Now that WKU lost a match, the rest of the conference knows anyone can be beaten.