Volleyball

VB: WKU, FIU Advance to Sunday's Championship Match

2025 CUSA Volleyball Championship Central

MIAMI – The No. 2 seed WKU and No. 4 FIU came away victorious in Saturday’s CUSA Volleyball Championship semifinals at Ocean Bank Convocation Center to set up Sunday’s championship match. The Hilltoppers and the Panthers will face off for the tournament title for the first time and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament at 12 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN+.

Match 1: (4) FIU 3, (8) Missouri State 0 | Box Score
 
FIU will make its first CUSA Championship appearance since 2018 after knocking off (8) Missouri State in straight sets. The Panthers (20-11) recorded more kills (47), digs (47) and services aces (4) to end the Bears season at 12-17.
 
Kira Givans (14), Rebekah Pfefferkorn (13) and Jillian Huckabey (11) combined for 38 of the Panthers 47 kills. Savannah Cook posted her second consecutive double-double with 38 assists and 13 digs. CUSA Libero of the Year Mandi Morioka was all over the back court picking up 16 digs along with three assists.
 
Lexi Weinberg was efficient on both sides of the ball for the Bears, tallying eight kills on a .318 clip and a match-high five blocks. Rilynn Finley and Peyton McKee recorded seven kills a piece, while Hannah Gardner (19) and Rossana Papa (10) combined for 29 assists.

Match 2: (2) WKU 3, (3) Kennesaw State 0 | Box Score
 
No. 2 WKU cruises to a sweep of No. 3 Kennesaw State as the Hilltoppers recorded 46 teams kills and seven blocks, holding the Owls to a .222 hitting percentage, while WKU hit an impressive .430. Kennesaw State ends its season with an overall record of 19-9.
 
Faith Young led the Hilltoppers offensively with 12 errorless kills for a .571 hitting percentage, putting down six in the third set alone. CUSA Freshman of the Year Kaira Knox was an absolute powerhouse, tallying her first career double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs, while hitting .643 and adding four blocks. Alivia Skidmore also posted 10 kills. CUSA Player and Setter of the Year Callie Bauer recorded 40 assists and seven digs.
 
Kennesaw State had two Owls record double-digit kill matches in Olivia Burrage (12) and Manu Johnsen (10). Leah Freeman recorded a team-high eight digs. Kaeley Walz dished out 21 assists and four digs, while Kourtney Brown tallied 14 assists and two digs.