A thrilling final match at the BYU Nike Invitational sent Wichita State volleyball home with a 3-2 record on the season after its first road trip.
The Shockers faced their first-ranked opponent of the season in No. 18 BYU along the way.
Wichita State hits the road again from Sept.11-12 as it takes on the Golden Eagle Invitational, hosted by Tennessee Tech. The first serve is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 11, at 11 a.m. against Radford.
Incarnate Word
A career day from junior outside hitter Sydney Dunning helped the Shockers to a 3-1 win over the Incarnate Word in game one of a doubleheader on Friday.
Dunning had a career-high in kills with 27. Junior setter Jordan Heatherly led the team in assists (50) and aces (three). Liberos Katie Galligan and Gabi Maas led in digs (23), and sophomore middle blocker Allie Paulsen led in blocks (six), also a career high.
After Dunning collected her fourth kill to open the first set, WSU pulled out to a 12-5 lead. The Cardinals responded with a 10-4 run, and a later run of 3-0 gave Incarnate Word the frame.
The Shockers never trailed the entire second set and decisively won, 25-14.
The teams traded points in set three, with Wichita State holding onto a 15-14 lead at the media timeout. Out of the media, the Shockers scored three straight points, two of which came off Dunning kills. The Cardinals committed a service error on the set point, which gave Wichita State the win, 25-19.
The Shockers fought back from an Incarnate Word 4-0 run in the fourth set and eventually tied the score at 10. Out of a timeout, Wichita State committed a bad set and an attack error but responded with straight two points to win the set and match, 25-20.
No. 18 BYU
No. 18-ranked BYU Cougars gave the Shockers their first road loss of the season, 3-1, in game two of Friday’s doubleheader.
BYU went into the media timeout of the first set up 15-8, while on a 3-0 scoring run. The Cougars’ lead crept up to 10 points, and despite multiple pushes from WSU, took the set, 25-19.
A kill by senior outside hitter Brooklyn Leggett gave the Shocker a 7-6 lead in the second set, their first of the frame. BYU later regained the advantage and went on a commanding 10-3 run, ending the set, 25-21.
The teams traded points to start the third set. The Shockers used a late 5-0 run to propel them to set point, 24-20. A kill from freshman outside hitter McKenzie Jones gave the Shocker their first set win against a ranked team since 2023, 25-21.
BYU responded quickly to losing the third set by scoring four of the first five points in the fourth set. BYU dominated the Shockers in the frame, never losing the lead, 25-11. The Shockers’ 11 points is tied for the lowest scored in a set since 2023.
16 different Shockers appeared in the loss. Dunning led the team in kills (14) and digs (10). Heatherly led in assists (30), and Heatherly and junior middle blocker Maddie Wilson led in blocks with three.
Northern Colorado
The Shockers beat the Northern Colorado Bears in a 3-2 thriller to close out the tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The teams started the match by trading the first and second sets, 25-19 and 25-23, respectively.
A 4-0 run from Wichita State made the Bears call a timeout in the third set, 9-4. After a kill by Dunning, the Shockers took control and never allowed Northern Colorado to score back-to-back points the rest of the set, 25-14.
The Bears finished the fourth set on a 5-2 run to send the match to a winner-take-all fifth set, 25-22.
The Shockers started the fifth set on a 5-1 run, and a huge 9-1 run later in the set gave them set point, 14-4. The Bears started to claw back with a 3-0 run, but a Wilson kill ended the run and the match, 15-7.
Dunning and Wilson led in kills (14) and Maas led in digs (13). Heatherly led in assists (47) and Wilson led in blocks (nine).
