KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan volleyball team (22-10, 12-4 MAC) had its 20-match home win streak snapped when Valparaiso came into University Arena and handed the Broncos a 3-1 loss (11-25, 27-25, 27-25, 27-25).
The Broncos dominated the first set, opening the night with an 11-1 run. On Allyson Doyle's serve, WMU rattled off 11-straight points, thanks in part to three kills from Jessica Brown and three more from Taylor Richard. Valpo would get within five points but no closer. Western Michigan closed out the set on a 6-0 run, scoring the last five points on Doyle's serve again book ended by a pair of Brown kills.
Brown led the team with 17 kills on the night with a .279 hitting percentage. She led five Broncos who finished with double-digit kills as Richard added 13, Ali Gossen and Doyle contributed 12 and Emily Harris knocked down 11.
Each of the next three sets were back and forth throughout with Western Michigan having tthree set points in the second set and a pair of chances in the third. Leading 24-21, Harris committed an attack error, which started a three-point mini run for Valparaiso. Richard's kill off one of Sam Viox's 14 assists put the Broncos up 25-24 but Valpo capitalized on a Katie Britton kill and a pair of attack errors by WMU to even the match. Britton led the match with 19 kills.
WMU held a five-point lead at 13-8 in the third set and twice held a four-point lead, even as late as 20-16 on a kill by Harris. Leading 23-22, Doyle sent the ball to the floor on a Viox set to give WMU set point but again Britton was there for Valpo and she was followed by Jenny Pokorny's game-tying hit. WMU tied the third set once more at 25 but a Britton kill and a Gillian Asque attack error on back-to-back plays gave Valpo a 2-1 edge.
Valparaiso jumped out to a 4-1 lead to start the fourth set but the Broncos battled back, tying the score at four-all on a Richard kill. Valpo regained a three-point advantage at 11-8 on Brown's attack error and from that point, the lead was never greater than two for either team. Western Michigan regained the lead at 17-16 and again at 25-24 on another Richard kill. Valpo quickly tied the score on a Val Bollenbacher kill and put the match away on back-to-back hits from Sarah Dooms and Katie Layman.
The Broncos, who finished with 27 attack errors, had its 20-match home streak snapped, losing for the first time since Sept. 5, 2009 against Dayton. The loss also denied WMU its first perfect home season since 2000, finishing the home slate at 10-1.
