Mountaineers Secure Win Over Arizona in Record-Breaking Performance

Friday, October 23

Morgantown, W.Va.

6 p.m.

West Virginia University

11-8,4-5Big 12

Arizona

6-13,1-7Big 12

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Arizona	25	15	21	17	1
West Virginia	23	25	25	25	3

WVU Volleyball celebrates as they defeat Arizona on Oct. 23

October 23, 2026 10:59 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Season Stats

By: Farris Murad

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University volleyball team (11-8, 4-5 Big 12) defeated Arizona, 3-1, on Friday evening at Hope Coliseum, earning its fourth Big 12 victory of the season by set scores of 23-25, 25-15, 25-21 and 25-17.

The win marked the Mountaineers' most conference wins since 2021 and the sixth season with four or more wins since joining the Big 12.

West Virginia responded after dropping the opening set, winning the next three behind a strong offensive performance. WVU finished the match hitting .374 as a team, including a .457 clip in the second set, while holding Arizona (6-13, 1-7 Big 12) to a .121 hitting percentage in the fourth.

The Mountaineers' .374 hitting percentage stands as the highest in a Big 12 match in the program's 15 years in the league. WVU recorded just 12 attacking errors, the fewest in a Big 12 match of four or more sets.

Senior outside hitter Nina Horning led the Mountaineers with 20 kills while hitting a career-best .486. Freshman outside hitter Macie Smith added 15 kills without an error, posting a match-high .556 hitting percentage. Smith also recorded a career-high three service aces.

Senior opposite Trinity Sheridan contributed 10 kills, while sophomore right side Anna Barr recorded nine kills and senior middle blocker Maddy McGath added six kills and three aces.

Smith became just the fifth player in program history to record at least 15 kills without an error and the only Mountaineer to accomplish the feat as a freshman. Horning eclipsed the 20-kill mark for the second time this season and the fifth time in her career.

Senior setter Alexis Finnvold paced the offense with 29 assists, while freshman setter Lauren Duncan added 20 assists. Freshman defensive specialist/libero Reagan Turk led the defensive effort with 22 digs, and WVU totaled six team blocks.

Arizona took the first set, 25-23, despite WVU opening with a 4-0 lead. The Wildcats rallied to take the lead midway through the set before the teams battled through several ties late. West Virginia pulled even at 22, but Arizona scored three of the final four points to claim the opener.

WVU answered emphatically in the second set, cruising to a 25-15 victory. Smith helped fuel the run from the service line, recording two of her aces during a stretch in which the Mountaineers turned a 9-5 advantage into a commanding 15-5 lead. West Virginia hit .457 in the set, committing just one attack error.

The Mountaineers carried that momentum into the third set, overcoming a competitive start to pull away late. With the score tied at 21-21, Horning recorded three consecutive kills to give WVU set point at 24-21. An Arizona attack error on the following rally secured a 25-21 win and put the Mountaineers ahead, 2-1.

West Virginia controlled the fourth set to close out the match. The Mountaineers built an early lead and continued to apply pressure, with Smith and Horning combining for nine kills in the frame.

After Arizona trimmed the margin to 18-15, WVU responded with a decisive run, including two aces from McGath, to extend its advantage to 22-15. The Mountaineers closed out the 25-17 victory on a service ace from freshman defensive specialist/libero Cassie Bruns.

West Virginia finished with 64 kills, nine aces and 12 block assists. The Mountaineers also held a 64-51 advantage in digs.

West Virginia earned its first victory over Arizona, moving the all-time series record to 1-3.

WVU head coach Jen Greeny improved to 13-13 against the Wildcats and 2-2 against Arizona head coach Charita Stubbs.

The Mountaineers travel to Ames, Iowa, on Friday, Oct. 30, to take on Iowa State at 7 p.m. ET.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUVolleyball on Facebook, Instagram and X.