ATHENS, Ohio -- Lowe's Senior CLASS finalist Allyson Doyle led Western Michigan with 12 kills, 11 digs and .500 attack percentage to win at 2009 Mid-American Conference champion Ohio, 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-22), in front of 1,638 at The Convo on Friday night.
The Broncos (17-6, 7-2 MAC) won their fifth in a row and defeated the MAC East co-leading Bobcats (13-9, 5-4 MAC) in the regular season for the third season in a row. WMU's sweep at Ohio was the first since Nov. 5, 1989, and improved WMU to 29-17-1 all-time against the Bobcats and 14-8-1 in Athens.
Doyle's 42nd career double-double moved her into 14th all-time in career kills (1,104) and past 1,500 career digs (1,505). Junior setter Sam Viox had her seventh double-double of the season with 33 assists and 11 digs to become the 10th WMU setter to reach 2,000 career assists (2,015).
Western Michigan's freshmen continued to play key roles as libero Lena Oliver had a match-high 15 digs and outside hitters Ali Gossen and Gillian Asque each had seven kills.
The Broncos had one less kill (49-48) and one less error (19-18) to finish with a better attacking percentage (.185 to .167). The Bobcats had more blocks (8.0-3.0), but WMU finished with more digs (52-44). The Bobcats tallied seven aces, but missed 12 more serves, while the Broncos had three service errors and one ace.
Mandy Nichols led the Bobcats with 13 kills and .370 attack percentage, while their leading attacker, outside hitter Sue Jacobi, was limited to seven kills and .000 attack percentage by the WMU defense.
"Overall, it was a very good team effort," head coach Colleen Munson said. "Ohio is a very aggressive, physical, good blocking team, but we didn't let that take over our mindset. We played steady, stayed poised and earned the outcome we wanted."
The Bobcats scored the first four points of the match to make WMU play catch-up in the first set. A kill by junior middle blocker Ashley Turnage put the Broncos in front, 10-9, but Ohio answered with a 10-4 run to build a late lead, 19-14. A service error by Jacobi keyed a 5-1 run that tied the score, 20-20, after an ace by freshman outside hitter Taylor Richard. Back-to-back kills by Nichols put Ohio back in the lead, 22-20, but were also its last points of the set. An Ohio error and block by Asque and sophomore middle blocker Jessica Brown tied the score, 22-22, and then Doyle delivered a trio of kills to give the set to WMU, 25-22.
Doyle hit .600 with nine of her team-high 12 kills in the set as WMU hit .303 with 14 kills. The Bobcats had 14 kills, as well, but hit just .214.
A kill by Gossen and block by Doyle and freshman middle blocker Emily Harris put WMU up four, 9-5, to start the second set. After a timeout, the Bobcats came back to even the score, 10-10. The Broncos regained the lead, 14-12, but Ohio scored four in a row to take its own lead, 16-14. The Broncos rallied behind kills from Doyle, Asque and Harris to go up three, 20-17. The Bobcats cut their deficit to one, 20-19, but kills by Brown and Asque pushed WMU to set point, 24-20. Ohio made things interesting by saving the first three before missing a serve to give WMU the set, 25-23.
WMU hit .095 with 12 kills in the set, led by Asque with five kills, and Ohio hit .122 with 12 kills.
Consecutive kills by Harris, Gossen and Doyle pushed WMU to an early lead, 9-5, before Ohio halted play with a timeout. Much like the second set, Ohio rallied to even the score, 10-10, but then made three consecutive miscues to fall behind, 13-10, again. Trailing by four, 18-14, after another error the Bobcats used their final timeout. Ohio closed to within one point, 19-18, but then missed a serve and two consecutive attacks to fall behind by four, 22-18. Kills by Harris and Brown gave WMU match point, 24-20. Ohio hung around by saving two match points, but then missed an attack as WMU won the set, 25-22, and match.
The Broncos hit .182 with 12 kills in the final set, including four by Gossen, while Ohio hit .162 with 13 kills in the set.
Western Michigan completes the weekend tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kent State (10-14, 3-6 MAC). The Golden Flashes fell at home to MAC leader Northern Illinois in five sets on Friday night.
