Women's Volleyball | October 25, 2017
Box Score DEKALB, Ill. – The Western Michigan women's volleyball team suffered a close, 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 23-25) loss at Northern Illinois on Thursday night.
Every set was decided by three points or fewer. WMU (14-8, 7-4 MAC) was led by Rachel Bontrager and her 23 kills on the night, marking her third-straight match with at least 20 kills. NIU's Kaylee Martin had a match-high 26 kills. Senior middle blocker Sydney LeMay also reached double-digit kills with 16. Mary Murphy had 49 assists while Bontrager and Kathleen Reilly both had 16 digs.
The first set ended up going 26-24 to the Huskies. Neither team built more than two-point lead the entire set. A kill by Jori Radkey gave NIU a tale 24-23 lead but a kill by LeMay tied it back up at 24-24. After a service error by the Broncos an ace by Miranda Karlen finished it off to give Northern Illinois a 1-0 lead.
The second set went in favor of Western Michigan, 25-23, but played out in similar fashion. Deadlocked at 10-1 the Broncos gained some distance with a 3-0 run on kills by Olivia Kofie and Bontrager, along with a block by LeMay. After battling back, the Huskies eventually erased the deficit after a WMU attack error led to a 20-20 tie. The two teams traded 2-0 runs and then points to square the score at 23-23 before a kill by Bontrager and a block by Kofie and Murphy finished off the set for WMU.
In the third set the Broncos took an early lead and maintained their advantage to a 17-13 score line. NIU responded with an 8-2 run to take a 21-19 lead. WMU tied it up at 21-21 thanks to a kill by Bontrager and a bad set by Chandler Kinley. NIU scored the next three points to sit on set point at 24-21. Bontrager brought Western Michigan closer with another kill but a service error gave the set to the Huskies.
Northern Illinois jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the fourth and final set. WMU responded with a 5-0 run to tie it up at 10-10. The Broncos took a 15-13 lead and continued to control the set to a four-point lead at 22-18. NIU then went on a 7-1 run to finish off the set and the match.
Western Michigan returns home to host MAC East leaders Bowling Green on Saturday at 7 p.m.
