LYNCHBURG, Va. – Junior Livi Weidmann and sophomore Bailey Hartsough both recorded 11 kills and junior Eden Punch matched a career-high 11 blocks as Western Carolina earned a 3-1 win over Liberty in the first round of the NIVC Tournament inside Liberty Arena on Saturday afternoon. After dropping the opening set 25-15, the Catamounts won the match by sweeping the next three 25-21, 25-16, and 25-19.

WCU improves to 19-12 overall and advances to face the winner of Clemson and Toldeo in the second round on Sunday at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). For ticket information for the matches in Lynchburg, Va., please CLICK HERE. Liberty ends the season at 23-9.

Hartsough finished in double figures offensively for the 13^th time this season while Weidmann logged double-digit kills for the eighth time. Behind Punch's 11 total blocks, WCU finished with an 18-to-3 edge at the nets. Fifth-year senior Merry Gebel and junior Destinee Dorsey both recorded 12 digs. Fifth-year senior Sydney Carlson dished out 18 assists.

Lydia Burts led Liberty with 17 kills followed by Kate Burts with 16, Kamryn Bacus with 11, and Madison Blane with 10. Erica Lowery had a team-best 14 digs.

Liberty opened Saturday's first set on a 10-4 run, prompting a WCU timeout. The Catamounts trimmed the deficit to five, 15-10, following a Hartsough service ace. With WCU trailing 17-12, Liberty used a 4-0 spurt to extend its lead and led by no less than seven points for the rest of the opening frame.

A Gebel kill gave the Catamounts a 6-2 lead early in the second set. After a Weidmann kill put WCU ahead 15-11, the Flames used a 6-0 run to grab a 17-15 lead. The Catamounts answered with three straight points before the Flames grabbed a 21-20 lead following consecutive Blane kills. The Catamounts clinched the set thanks to a 5-0 run with a Hartsough service ace giving WCU the final point to knot the match at a set apiece.

Tied at four in the third set, WCU used a 6-0 run for a 10-4 lead. A block by Poling and Robinson put WCU ahead 17-7 and the Catamounts enjoyed a 21-11 edge following a Robinson kill. A pair of Liberty errors closed out the set to give WCU a 2-1 lead for the match.

With the fourth set tied at 15, a Weidmann kill sparked a 5-0 spurt that gave WCU a lead they wouldn't relinquish. A Burts service ace brought the Flames within three, 20-17, but the Catamounts took three of the next four points for a 23-18 advantage. A Liberty error gave the Catamounts match point before Hartsough ended the match with a kill.

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