WVU Volleyball (4-3) opens the UNT Invitational Thursday at 5 p.m. against East Texas A&M at the UNT Volleyball Center in Denton, Texas, aiming to turn five-set heartbreak into a statement win before Big 12 play. Read more:Mountaineers aim to reset against East Texas A&M in Denton.
A Friday that slipped away
The Mountaineers left Hope Coliseum last Friday with unfinished business after dropping both ends of a doubleheader in five sets. A morning 3-2 loss to Lehigh (23-25, 25-14, 16-25, 25-23, 15-12) was followed by a 3-2 defeat to Toledo (20-25, 25-21, 25-14, 20-25, 15-11). WVU controlled stretches of both matches — winning the first and third against Lehigh and the first and fourth against Toledo — but could not close. Errors and stalled attack runs in the second and fifth sets proved costly.
Nina Horning was the constant, attacking from the pin whenever West Virginia needed a sideout. Trinity Sheridan supplied the complementary right-side punch, especially against Toledo.
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Alexis Finnvold and Lauren Duncan shared the setting load, while Maddy McGath, Mirjam Kask, and Camille Huff worked to stabilize the middle. Eily Painter and Lucie Smardova kept long rallies alive in the back row. The two losses sting, but they also showed a team capable of stealing sets and forcing deciding frames.
What East Texas A&M brings
East Texas A&M arrives at 6-4 after a 3-0 loss at Oklahoma Tuesday (22-25, 21-25, 13-25). The Lions posted 31 kills and a .196 hitting percentage against the Sooners. Ariana Brown led with 12 kills and four aces, while Samantha Mosley added 11 kills on a .529 clip.
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Jade Washington collected 18 digs, and Haley Mullaney dished 16 assists. Sabine Wenzel continues to produce at the net. ETAM can score in bunches and serve aggressively, but it has now dropped a straight-set match to a Power conference opponent heading into this meeting.
What WVU needs Thursday
From the West Virginia sideline, the assignment is clear; clean up the error stretches that flipped Friday’s matches and let Horning and Sheridan dictate tempo. If the Mountaineers side out more consistently and finish the sets they already know how to win, Thursday becomes the reset they need to start the Texas swing. North Texas follows Friday night, with Tarleton State on Saturday at noon.
First serve is set for 5 p.m. Thursday. For a 4-3 team that has already proven it can hang in fifth sets, this is a chance to leave the invitational with momentum instead of more near-misses.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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