Mountaineers Drop a Pair of Five-Set Matches to Round Out the West Virginia Invitational

Friday, September 11

Morgantown, W.Va.

11 a.m.

West Virginia University

4-2,0-0Big 12

Lehigh

7-1,0-0Patriot

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Lehigh	23	25	16	25	15	3
West Virginia	25	14	25	23	12	2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Toledo	20	25	25	20	15	3
West Virginia	25	21	14	25	11	2

WVU plays Toledo in the West Virginia Invitational on Friday, Sept. 11

Mountaineers Drop a Pair of Five-Set Matches to Round Out the West Virginia Invitational

September 11, 2026 11:06 PM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Season Stats

By: Farris Murad

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University volleyball team (4-3, 0-0 Big 12) battled through a pair of five-set matches Friday at Hope Coliseum, taking a 2-1 lead against Lehigh (7-1, 0-0 Patriot) before falling, 3-2, in the afternoon and dropping another 3-2 decision to Toledo (7-1, 0-0 MAC) in the evening.

The Mountaineers opened the Lehigh match with a 25-23 win in the first set before the Mountain Hawks evened the match with a 25-14 second-set victory.

WVU responded with a 25-16 win in the third set to regain the advantage, but Lehigh forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-23 fourth-set victory before securing the match with a 15-12 win in the fifth.

Senior outside hitter Nina Horning paced the Mountaineers offensively with a season-best 20 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Anna Barr added 11. Senior middle blocker Maddy McGath and freshman outside hitter Macie Smith each recorded 10 kills.

Senior setter Alexis Finnvold finished with 34 assists, while freshman setter Lauren Duncan added 20. Freshman defensive specialist/libero Reagan Turk led WVU defensively recording 25 digs.

The match marked the first meeting between West Virginia and Lehigh.

West Virginia opened the Toledo match strong with its sixth first-set win in seven matches, overcoming an early Rocket advantage to take the frame, 25-20. The Mountaineers used a late push to pull away, with Sheridan recording three kills during a stretch that helped close the opening set.

Toledo responded in the second, building a 14-9 advantage before maintaining its lead to even the match at one set apiece with a 25-21 victory.

The Rockets took control in the third set, hitting .412 while limiting the Mountaineers to a .135 attacking percentage. Toledo built an early lead and continued to extend its advantage before taking the set, 25-14, to move ahead, 2-1.

Facing a potential four-set defeat, West Virginia answered in the fourth. Horning sparked a 5-0 run, including three service aces, helping WVU turn a 6-5 deficit into a 10-6 advantage. The Mountaineers maintained their lead late and forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-20 victory.

The fifth set remained tight early, with the teams tied at 5-5. Toledo then moved in front and held a narrow advantage. WVU pulled within one at 12-11 following a Sheridan kill, but Toledo scored the final three points to secure the 15-11 victory and the 3-2 match win.

Horning led the Mountaineers offensively with 19 kills, while Sheridan added 17 kills on .412 hitting. Barr and freshman outside hitter Saar Bertels each contributed six kills, with McGath adding five.

Finnvold directed the offense with 39 assists, while Turk anchored the Mountaineers' receiving efforts with 29 receptions at a .935 clip and 17 digs. WVU finished the match hitting .241 as a team and totaled seven blocks.

West Virginia holds a 4-2 record against Toledo dating back to 1980.

The Mountaineers return to action at the UNT Invitational in Denton, Texas, on Sept. 17-19, where they will face East Texas A&M, North Texas and Tarleton State.

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