FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Glenville State Volleyball team opened postseason play with the program's first-ever MEC Tournament win, defeating West Liberty tonight (Nov. 11), 3-1. The Pioneers advance to the semifinal round of the 2026 Mountain East Conference Tournament.
The Pioneers came out strong in the opening set, taking control offensively and limiting West Liberty's opportunities. Glenville State recorded 15 kills while hitting .250, holding the Hilltoppers to just three kills and a -.182 hitting percentage. The Pioneers capitalized on West Liberty's offensive struggles to secure a convincing 25-13 first-set victory.
West Liberty responded in the second set, finding its rhythm offensively and putting together a much stronger performance. The Hilltoppers recorded 14 kills while hitting .278, making it a much more competitive set. Glenville State continued to produce offensively with 15 kills of its own, but nine attack errors proved costly. West Liberty managed to edge the Pioneers 26-24, evening the match at one set apiece.
Glenville State regained control in the third set, delivering one of its strongest offensive performances of the match. The Pioneers recorded 15 kills with just three errors, hitting an impressive .414. Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers were held to a .171 hitting percentage with 12 kills. Glenville State's efficient attack helped the Pioneers pull away and secure a 25-18 victory, putting them one set away from advancing.
The Pioneers saved their most efficient offensive performance for the fourth set. Glenville State recorded 14 kills without committing a single attack error, finishing the set with an outstanding .467 hitting percentage. The Pioneers also limited West Liberty to nine kills and a .114 hitting percentage. With a balanced offensive and defensive effort, Glenville State closed out the set 25-12 to earn the 3-1 victory and punch their ticket to the MEC Tournament semifinals.
Final Stats
West Liberty
Sidney Keni led the Hilltoppers offensively with nine kills, while Adrienne Staib added eight and Amira DuPree contributed six. Dakoda Keni led West Liberty with 32 assists, while Taylor Speake paced the defensive effort with 14 digs. At the net, Staib recorded a team-high five total blocks, followed by Ava Trentman with three.
Glenville State
Freshman
Gracie Brown led the Pioneers offensively with 17 kills, while
Mikayla Curry added 12 and
Juliana Nunez contributed eight.
Ryann Landis added seven kills and
Deniz Selen Yazar finished with six.
Irmak Bezek led Glenville State with 32 assists, while
Madison Lee added 13 and
Brenan Harvey contributed five.
Defensively, Brown led the Pioneers with 13 digs as Harvey and Nunez each recorded 11. At the net, Yazar, Curry, and Landis each recorded three total blocks. Brown and Yazar also led Glenville State in service aces with two apiece.
Up Next For The Pioneers
The Pioneers advance to the semifinal round of the 2026 Mountain East Conference Volleyball Tournament on Thursday (Nov. 12). Glenville State will face the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between No. 1 Fairmont State and No. 4 West Virginia State. With a victory in the semifinals, the Pioneers would advance to the MEC Championship match on Friday (Nov. 13) at 7 p.m.
