Box Score WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker to West Liberty University Friday night inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center. The Cavaliers were defeated 3-2 (21-25, 25-15, 25-8, 21-25, 15-3) by the visiting Hilltoppers in UVa-Wise's Mountain East Conference home opener.
 
Strong second and third sets by the Hilltoppers (12-9, 1-3 MEC) propelled West Liberty to a 2-1 advantage before UVa-Wise battled out a hard-fought fourth set. However, the Cavs (2-16, 1-2 MEC) were unable to sustain an early four-point lead in the fifth and final set. West Liberty held UVa-Wise to a .017 attack percentage for the match and forced 36 Cavalier errors, while the Hilltoppers hit .104 in the five sets, including a .355 mark in the second set and .233 clip in the third. The Hilltoppers also gained eight total team blocks and 49 kills against the homestanding Cavs.
 
Eight ties in a close opening set ended up going the way of UVa-Wise when the Cavs built a respectable lead late and held on for a 25-21 set win. Both the second and third sets were much different as the Hilltoppers continued to string together runs of points and take commanding leads early. West Liberty never trailed in either of the two sets.
 
UVa-Wise looked to be determine in the fourth set, willing its way to a 15-6 advantage after eight straight Cavalier points. The Hilltoppers would not go away easily though and got within two at 23-21 before UVa-Wise came up with a pair of kills to claim the 25-21 win. The Cavs made 15 kills in the fourth set alone. The fifth set went wire to wire as neither team could get more than two points of separation from each other late. After three tie scores and two lead changes in the set, a UVa-Wise service error gave the Hilltoppers a 15-13 set win to clinch the match.
 
Sophomore right side hitter Amanda Auxier (Midlothian, Va.) led UVa-Wise with nine kills as senior outside hitter Karley Allen (Lanexa, Va.), senior middle blocker Santana Bishop (Gate City, Va.) and sophomore outside hitter Ciara Kain (Leesburg, Va.) each hit seven of their own. Senior defensive specialist/outside hitter Erin Anderson (Richmond, Va.) made a team-high 20 and earned four service aces, while freshman setter Caitlynn Doss (Abingdon, Va.) assisted on 33 of the Cavs' 39 kills. UVa-Wise also got three blocks each from senior middle blocker Lindsey Tucker (Midlothian, Va.), Auxier and Bishop.
 
The Hilltoppers' were led by Stephanie Leonard, who registered a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs in addition to making four blocks. Amanda Leonard and Raimey Benson each contributed nine kills of their own, while Benson also made four blocks and Amanda Leonard earned a team-high 24 assists. Miranda Garmenn served up four aces for West Liberty and tallied 16 assists as Kailee Cunningham got to a match-high 30 digs.
 
The Cavs will now embark on a six-match road trip, beginning Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Concord University in Athens, West Virginia.
 
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