Concord Welcomes Wheeling, West Liberty for Weekend Matches

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team is slated for a pair of Mountain East Conference matches Friday against Wheeling at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday against West Liberty at 1:00 p.m. in the Carter Center.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide statistics and live video for both games.
 
LIVE STATS
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
SERIES HISTORY
Wheeling: WU leads 30-0
West Liberty: WLU leads 17-2
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST WHEELING
October 7, 2022: Wheeling 3 – Concord 0 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
October 15, 2021: Wheeling 3 – Concord 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 15, 2019: Wheeling 3 – Concord 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 27, 2018: Wheeling 3 – Concord 0 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
November 3, 2017: Wheeling 3 – Concord 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST WEST LIBERTY
October 8, 2022: West Liberty 3 – Concord 0 (West Liberty, W.Va.)
October 16, 2021: West Liberty 3 – Concord 1 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 16, 2019: West Liberty 3 – Concord 0 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 27, 2018: West Liberty 3 – Concord 0 (West Liberty, W.Va.)
November 3, 2017: Concord 3 – West Liberty 1 (Athens, W.Va.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 14-7
MEC Record: 4-3
Home Record: 5-3
Away Record: 4-3
Neutral Record: 5-1
 
HITTING THE MARK
After Saturday's contest against Notre Dame, the Mountain Lions have brought their season hitting percentage to .203 which sits in fourth place in the MEC. Over its last six games, Concord has hit over .200 in four matches while hitting .174 and .196 in the other two. Three qualified Mountain Lions check in just outside the top 10 in hitting percentage in the conference with freshman Meg Williams hitting .246, senior middle hitter Kyndra Pilant hitting .221 and freshman outside hitter Chloe Thompson hitting .217. On Saturday, CU faces a stingy West Liberty defense that has held opponents to a .144 hitting percentage. WLU ranks first in the conference in opponent hitting percentage and is 32^nd across Division II.
 
REJECTIONS
Concord has racked up 36 total blocks in its last five matches, the most in any five-game stretch this season. Over that span, Pilant leads the team with 20 total blocks, followed by senior right side Reese Turner with 12 total blocks. Williams and senior middle hitter Csayjah Whitelow have contributed 11 and 10 total blocks, respectively. Pilant sits at seventh in the conference in blocks per set (0.93). Wheeling comes into Friday's meeting second in the MEC in blocks per set (2.18). Junior middle hitter Mady Winters leads the Cardinals with 68 blocks on the season and averages one block per set which places her second in the conference.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
CU dropped both matches against Wheeling and West Liberty last season. In the meeting against WU, Pilant led the Mountain Lions with six kills and added five digs. Against WLU, Pilant had 11 digs, four kills, and one block. Sophomore right side Maddie Bohan played in all three sets against the Hilltoppers hauling in one kill, one dig, and one block.
 
WHEELING AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 15-6
MEC Record: 6-1 (1^st MEC North)
Home Record: 10-0
Away Record: 4-4
Neutral Record: 1-2
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
The Cardinals head into Friday's match on a seven-game winning streak that has propelled them into first place in the MEC North Division. As a team, Wheeling ranks either first or second in all statistical categories in the conference besides service aces. Senior outside hitter Tylah Yeomans (3.80) and junior outside hitter Riley Kindall (3.40) both land in the top 10 in kills per set in the MEC. Kindall also leads WU with nine double-doubles on the season. Winters ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.343). Junior setter Karly Niesen averages 11.49 assists per set, sitting her atop the Mountain East.
 
WEST LIBERTY AT A GLANCE
2023 Record: 16-6
MEC Record: 5-2 (2^nd MEC North)
Home Record: 7-3
Away Record: 4-2
Neutral Record: 5-1
 
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty is paced offensively by senior outside hitter Katelynn Fritz, leading the Hilltoppers with 220 kills on the season. Freshman setter Dakoda Keni has recorded double-digit assists in all 22 games this season, placing her sixth in the MEC with 7.71 assists per set. Sophomore defensive specialist Bella Dart (33) and junior libero Nyia Setla (30) have combined for 63 aces this season. Defensively, Setla is second in the MEC with 4.94 digs per set. Sophomore Grace Hill leads the Hilltoppers with 67 blocks which ranks her fifth in the conference with 0.97 blocks per set.