KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team wrapped up the Holiday Inn West Volleyball Invitational with a hard-fought 3-2 (20-25, 25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 15-17) loss to Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.
Sydney LeMay had a team-high 13 kills and five digs, while Mikaela Ryshytylo had her first double-double of the season with 12 kills and 18 digs. Alysia Baznik also had 10 kills on the day. Senior Nicole Kinser matched her season-high with nine kills and a .471 attacking percentage.
Western Michigan got out to a slow start in the opening set, falling 25-20. The Panthers built an early lead and extended it to as large as eight when an attack error gave them a 19-11 lead.
The Broncos rebounded in the second set with a 25-16 win. Defense was a key to the set win with WMU holding UWM to a -.065 hitting percentage and recording five blocks. Olivia Kofie, Kinser, Ryshytylo and Baznik each had two kills in the set, while Mary Murphy had eight assists. An early service error gave WMU a 2-1 lead and the Broncos never trailed from there. The set really opened up after an 8-4 run by the Broncos to give them a 17-11 lead. Milwaukee did not get within more than five points before a kill by Kinser and an attack error on Kylie Wilks closed out the set.
Western Michigan opened the third set jumping out to a 9-5 lead but Milwaukee slowly chipped away at it before tying it at 15-15 on a kill by Maddie Williams. The teams traded points until an attack error on the Broncos gave the Panthers a 20-19 lead. UWM closed out the set with a 5-1 run.
WMU responded with another strong set, leading from the get go and never relinquished. Kinser had four kills and a .571 hitting percentage to lead the Broncos., while Ryshytylo had seven digs.
The final set was a back-and-forth affair until Milwaukee broke away to take a 14-11 lead. Facing match point the Broncos went 3-0 run to tie it up at 14-14. A service error gave the Panthers a 15-14 lead but the Broncos tied it up 15-15 on a UWM service error. Back-to-back kills for Milwaukee finished off the set 17-15 and the match.
LeMay was named to the All-Tournament team after leading the Broncos with 3.23 kills per set over the tournament and a .389 hitting percentage. Xavier was crowned champions via a tie-breaker after beating Tennessee, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon.
WMU heads on the road for three matches next week. The Broncos travel to Oakland on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and then head to the Indiana State Tournament to take on the host Sycamores and Bradley on Saturday.
