Bears Suffer First CUSA Loss at WKU

Friday, October 2

Bowling Green, Ky.

6:00 p.m.

Missouri State University

11-4,2-1CUSA

Western Kentucky

9-6,3-0CUSA

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Missouri St.	18	22	22	0
Western Ky.	25	25	25	3

Game Notes Box Score (PDF)

Bears Suffer First CUSA Loss at WKU

October 02, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: MSU Athletics Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Preseason Conference USA favorite Western Kentucky handed Missouri State its first league loss Friday evening at E.A. Diddle Arena, winning in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.

The Bears fell to 11-4 overall and 2-1 in CUSA play, while the Hilltoppers (9-6, 3-0) picked up their 110^th victory in their last 111 regular season league contests.

Rilynn Finley hit .268 and led all players with 16 kills, though Mo State was held to a season-low .145 attack efficiency as a team, snapping a streak of 11 consecutive matches above the .200 mark.

WKU was error-free on the attack to a 14-6 lead in the opening set, the Bears used a 4-0 to cut the gap to 18-15, but the home team hit .394 in the period after closing on a 7-3 run.

Lexi Weinberg had two kills in a 7-1 run that resulted in the Bears' first lead of the match midway through second set, and a Halle Rillie ace put Mo State up 17-15, but the Tops yet again had the answer and rallied for the win.

A late 7-0 run by the home team decided the third period as the Hilltoppers turned a 19-14 deficit into a 21-19 advantage to spoil a promising effort by the Bears, who lost for just the second time in their last 12 matches.

Weinberg had eight kills on .240 hitting and Chloe Judd went 5-for-9 on the attack, though no other Bear had more than two kills.

Brooke Eslinger led defense with 13 digs, and WKU owned leads of 43-38 in kills, 50-46 in digs, 4-3 in aces and 9-2 in blocks.

The teams meet again at 1 p.m. Saturday. The match will stream on ESPN+.

#GoBears