Mountaineers Rally to Earn Road Win at North Texas

Friday, September 18

Denton, Texas

8 p.m.

West Virginia University

6-3,0-0Big 12

North Texas

6-4,0-0American

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
West Virginia	25	20	25	25	3
North Texas	23	25	22	12	1

WVU Volleyball gets a win over North Texas

September 18, 2026 11:36 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Season Stats

By: Farris Murad

DENTON, Texas – The West Virginia University volleyball team (6-4, 0-0 Big 12) earned a 3-1 victory over North Texas (6-3, 0-0 American) on Friday night at the UNT Volleyball Center in Denton, Texas.

The Mountaineers claimed the match by set scores of 25-23, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-12.

West Virginia overcame a second-set setback by closing the match with a dominant fourth set, hitting .524 with 13 kills and just two errors. The Mountaineers also held North Texas to a .107 hitting percentage in the final frame and converted all 12 of their sideout opportunities.

WVU moves to 2-0 on the road and 8-1 in first sets this season, while setting a new season high of 10 service aces.

Senior outside hitter Nina Horning led the Mountaineers with 15 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Anna Barr added 12 kills on .333 hitting and senior middle blocker Maddy McGath contributed eight on a .571 clip. Senior opposite Trinity Sheridan recorded seven kills while hitting .429 on the night.

Senior setter Alexis Finnvold directed the WVU offense with 29 assists, while freshman setter Lauren Duncan added 16 assists. Freshman defensive specialist/libero Reagan Turk paced the Mountaineers defensively with 16 digs, while freshman middle blocker Mirjam Karoliine Kask had five blocks.

West Virginia opened the match by rallying from a late North Texas push to take the first set, 25-23. With the score tied at 22, Horning recorded a kill before Turk followed with a service ace to put the Mountaineers on set point. Barr then finished the set with a kill from Finnvold.

North Texas answered in the second set, using a 10-5 run after being tied at 15 to pull away for a 25-20 victory and even the match at one set apiece.

The third set remained close throughout, including 15 ties and four lead changes. Neither team led by more than three points until the closing stretch. After North Texas held a 22-20 advantage, West Virginia scored five consecutive points to complete the comeback. Horning provided a block assist and the final two kills of the frame, including the set-clinching point from Finnvold, to give WVU a 2-1 lead.

The Mountaineers carried the momentum into the fourth set, racing to an early 6-2 advantage. WVU continued to build its lead behind two separate 5-0 runs, eventually taking a 17-7 advantage. West Virginia closed the match by scoring six of the final eight points, with Finnvold recording the final service ace before a North Texas attack error ended the match.

West Virginia finished the night hitting .292 as a team, while holding North Texas to a .183 hitting percentage.

Horning led all players with 18 points, while Barr totaled 13.5 and McGath added nine. Finnvold also contributed six digs and three service aces.

The Mountaineers conclude play at the UNT Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 18 against Tarleton State at noon ET.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUVolleyball on Facebook, Instagram and X.