Liberty Posts 3-0 Sweep Over Eastern Michigan

Liberty closed out its nonconference schedule with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-22) sweep of the visiting Eastern Michigan Eagles.

The Lady Flames (7-5) posted a 2-1 record at this weekend’s home tournament, sweeping Radford and Eastern Michigan and falling to Coppin State. The Eagles (1-11) went 1-2 this weekend, downing Radford while losing to Liberty and Coppin State.

Liberty’s Trinity Watts was named Best Attacker for the tournament, averaging 3.40 kills per set while hitting .282 this weekend. Delaney Dilfer was voted Best Setter, averaging 9.90 assists per set while distributing for an offense that hit a tournament-best .252.

Notable Numbers

• Liberty outhit Eastern Michigan .250-.130, also leading in kills (42-28), aces (11-4) and digs (43-35). The Eagles led 8-7 in blocks.

• Trinity Watts scored a match-high 13 kills at a .414 pace for the Lady Flames, adding three blocks. Lydia Burts hit .600 with 11 kills and a career-high four aces. Kate Phillips led Liberty with 11 digs, while Kamryn Bacus and Erica Lowery (10 digs) both served up three aces. Delaney Dilfer dished up 29 assists.

• Krista Blakely and Raeven Chase shared the team lead with six kills apiece for EMU, while Emma McMahon collected a match-high 12 digs. Mekayla Koger posted a match-high six blocks.

Turning Point

• After winning set on 25-20, the Lady Flames hit .458 during a resounding 25-14 set-two victory. Liberty then closed out the sweep, holding off Eastern Michigan 25-22 in the third.

Quick Hits

• Today marked the first meeting between Liberty and Eastern Michigan in volleyball. Prior to today, Liberty’s last match against a MAC team was a 3-0 setback to Western Michigan, Sept. 16, 2017.

• Watts has scored double-figures in kills in each of Liberty’s last 10 matches. That is the longest streak of 10-kill matches for a Lady Flame since Hannah Weidner scored double digits in kills in 19 straight matches, Sept. 6 through Oct. 18, 2014.

• Liberty served up a season-high 11 aces, its most aces since a 12-ace match against Jacksonville on Oct. 17, 2021 inside Liberty Arena.

• Burts’ four aces today were the most by a Liberty middle blocker since Sirena Vorster served up five aces at Gardner-Webb on Nov. 11, 2017.

Up Next

The Lady Flames open conference play with a home match against conference newcomer Queens next Friday at 6 p.m. at Liberty Arena. Liberty then plays at Queens on Sunday to compete the home-and-home series.

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