BUCKHANNON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team (5-2) took care of business against Glenville State (0-3) to emerge victorious in both matches of a doubleheader on Tuesday (Feb. 23) night at the Rockefeller Center in Buckhannon, W.Va.
 
"I was proud of our execution both offensively," head coach Nancy Wheeler said. "Our ladies have been pushing each other and playing well together. We had great bench depth tonight."
 
WVWC Match One Leaders
Lexis Tatum led Wesleyan's balanced attack with nine kills. The senior tandem Emily Doyle and Lauryn Antolock added nine kills for the 'Cats.
 
Payton Hefner and Maddi Carpenter accumulated double-digit assist totals. The two combined for 29 assists in the first match. The Bobcats had nine service aces. Antolock had three while Doyle and Hefner each smashed two aces.
 
Autumn Molenhouse notched a season-high 24 digs. Molenhouse has eclipsed over 20 digs in four matches this season.
 
"Our hard work in practice is paying off," Molenhouse said. "The conditioning we did in practice helped us focus for both matches tonight."
 
Glenville State Match One Leaders
Karlei Shaver led the Pioneers with nine kills. Skylar Mace had two service aces and connected on six kills. Shaver also led the Pioneers in the digs category with 11. 
 
WVWC Match Two Leaders
Three Bobcats earned double-digit kills in the second match. Tatum posted the most kills for Wesleyan with 16. Junior Anaya Hyman added 12 kills, which was a season high for the junior from Tucson, Ariz. Additionally, Doyle slammed 12 kills for WVWC.
 
Wesleyan's setting duo of Hefner and Carpenter both had over 20 assists. WVWC had four players with service aces: Hefner (2), Doyle (2), Carpenter (2), and Kennedy Kuhns (1).
 
The 'Cats defense notched 14 block assists. Joelle Lalla led the block party with five block assists.
 
"We had good energy the entire night," Lalla said. "Our defense did a good job at the net both matches."
 
Glenville State Match Two Leaders
Two Pioneers had over 10 kills: Mace (13) and Shaver (10). Mace led Glenville State with two service aces. Jenna Cogar dished out 13 assists. Shaver once again led GSC with 14 digs.
 
Inside the First Match
The Bobcats cruised in the first two sets, never trailing in both. In the first set, Wesleyan jumped out to an early 10-4 lead fueled by service aces from Antolock and Doyle. The two seniors each added one more ace later in the set. WVWC took set one 25-14. 
 
Wesleyan won the first four points of the second set and extended its lead to 8-1 after another ace by Antolock. Glenville tied the match at 11 but Wesleyan prevailed and took set two, 25-19.
 
Glenville State held a 13-8 lead in the third set. With Hefner serving, the Bobcats won the next seven points to reclaim the lead, 15-13. Wesleyan did not surrender the lead and won the third set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
 
Inside the Second Match
The Pioneers regrouped and took the first set, 25-23. Wesleyan came roaring back and won the second set 25-18. Wesleyan went on another long scoring run with Hefner serving, winning six consecutive points in the middle of the second set.
 
In the third set, Wesleyan took a commanding 10-1 lead. Hyman and Tatum each had five kills in the third frame. 
 
The Bobcats jumped out to another early lead in the fourth set after a kill from Lalla made the score 8-3. The Pioneers closed the gap and cut the deficit to three. After a kill from Michela Ayers, the 'Cats went on a four-point run behind Kuhns' serving. WVWC won the set 25-18 and the second match 3-1 to complete the sweep.
 
Up Next
Wesleyan volleyball is set for a rematch with the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets, the leaders of the MEC South Division on Friday (Feb. 26). The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the Rockefeller Center and is Senior Night for the Bobcats.