INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team (2-1) narrowly lost to West Virginia State (3-1) in five sets on Friday (Feb. 12) night at the Walker Convocation Center in Institute, W.Va.
 
WVWC Leaders
Three Bobcat hitters accumulated double-digit kills. Lexis Tatum led the charge with 18 kills. Michela Ayers chipped in 13 kills and Emily Doyle added 11 kills for Wesleyan. Additionally, Doyle was credited with 18 digs.
 
Autumn Molenhouse recorded double-digit totals in digs (23) and assists (13). Payton Hefner led the team in assists with 39 and smashed two service aces.
 
West Virginia State Leaders
West Virginia State's offensive attack was powered by Jenna Dufresne and Gabrielle Bullock. The duo combined for 42 of the Yellow Jackets' 57 kills. Dufresne and Bullock both added 22 points.
 
Peri Martin set up the Yellow Jacket attack and dished out 43 assists. Three WVSU players recorded 15 or more digs: Alex Darby (17), Jordan West (15), and Dufresne (15).
 
Inside the First Set
The Bobcats snagged the first four points of the set with Payton Hefner serving. Hefner tallied two service aces in the first set. Makenzie Yates added a service ace in the first frame as well. All three Bobcat service aces for the match came in the first set.
 
The Yellow Jackets stormed back and took a 12-8 lead. WVWC found its groove and tied the match at 13 with a kill from Ayers. The two teams traded points throughout the set. When the score was tied at 19, Wesleyan earned three consecutive points, two of which came from kills by Ayers. The 'Cats claimed the final three points of the set and put the Yellow Jackets away 25-20.
 
Inside the Second Set
West Virginia State took the second set behind four separate 3-0 scoring runs and one 4-0 scoring run. Despite hitting over 20% in the second set, Wesleyan could not stop West Virginia State's offensive attack. The Yellow Jackets accumulated 16 kills in the second set. WVSU took set two 25-16.  
 
Inside the Third Set
The Yellow Jackets continued to roll in the third set and won 25-11. West Virginia State went on a 5-0 run to increase their lead on the Bobcats in the early happenings of the set. Three service aces propelled the Yellow Jackets to a set three victory.
 
Inside the Fourth Set
The 'Cats fought back and captured the fourth set, 25-20. Wesleyan went on a 4-0 run to put the score at 13-8. The Bobcats posted their highest hitting percentage of the night in the fourth set at 37.2 percent.
 
Inside the Fifth Set
Wesleyan grabbed the first three points of the final set, behind a kill from Anaya Hyman and two kills by Doyle. Wesleyan would increase their lead to four behind kills from Doyle and Tatum. WVSU went on to take the next four points to tie the score at five.
 
The two Mountain East Conference teams traded points down the stretch. Wesleyan eventually secured a match-point chance after a Tatum kill. After a long rally, West Virginia State won the crucial point and tied the match at 14. The Yellow Jackets won the set 17-15 and the match 3-2.
 
Up Next
West Virginia Wesleyan volleyball is scheduled to travel to the state's capital on Tuesday (Feb. 16) to face the Charleston Golden Eagles. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.