MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University volleyball team (12–2, 0–2 Big 12) dropped its conference home opener to Kansas State (8–3, 1–2 Big 12) on Wednesday night in a tightly contested five-set match. The set scores were 21–25, 23–25, 25–22, 27–25, and 20–18.
 
The Mountaineers opened the match with competitive efforts but fell short in the first two sets, recording 15 kills and a .275 hitting percentage in the first, followed by 13 kills in the second. WVU responded with resilience in sets three and four, registering 17 kills and hitting .379 in the third, then surging to 20 kills and a .472 clip in the fourth to even the match. Despite the comeback, the team struggled to maintain momentum in the decisive fifth set, managing only eight kills and hitting .088.
 
West Virginia University demonstrated strong offensive and defensive efforts during the match, finishing with 74 kills on 173 attempts and a .312 hitting percentage. The team recorded 73 assists and contributed three service aces.
 
Defensively, the Mountaineers compiled 65 digs and achieved 11 total blocks, including four solo blocks and 14 block assists.
Junior outside hitter Nina Horning led the offense with a career-high 24 kills on 48 attempts (.417), adding three assists, one service ace, and 11 digs for a team-best 26 points. The performance marked her first career double-double. Redshirt senior Cassidy Tanton also posted a career-high 23 kills (.315), along with one ace and 11 digs, earning her 16th career double-double and 24 total points.
 
Redshirt junior setter Alexis Finnvold delivered a season-best 46 assists, paired with 13 digs and one service ace for her eighth career double-double. Freshman setter Sarah Pfiffner contributed 10 assists and seven digs.
 
Redshirt junior opposite Trinity Sheridan added 13 kills and four block assists, while junior middle blocker Maddy McGath was efficient with nine kills on 17 attempts (.412), contributing six total blocks (two solo, four assists) for 13 points. Senior middle blocker Laila Ibrahim anchored the net with five kills and four total blocks.
 
Freshman right-side hitter Anna Barr provided depth off the bench with three kills and two digs. Senior libero LonDynn Betts led the backcourt with 18 digs and a service ace.
 
The Mountaineers will return to action quickly, hosting No. 19 BYU on Friday, October 3, at 6 p.m. in the Hope Coliseum.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUVolleyball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.