KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Senior middle blocker Sydney LeMay had a career-high six solo blocks and paced the WMU attack with a season-high 18 kills as the Western Michigan volleyball team opened Mid-American Conference play with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-13) over Northern Illinois at University Arena on Thursday night.

LeMay finished the night with eight total blocks, just one shy of matching her career high. Freshman outside hitter Rachel Bontrager had a double-double thanks to 14 kills and 10 digs. Fellow freshman Cassandra Smigiel had a career-high nine kills on the night, while junior setter Mary Murphy had a match-high 49 assists. Sophomore libero Kathleen Reilly led the team with 20 digs.

The Broncos (8-4, 1-0 MAC) got out to an early 7-4 lead but the Huskies kept battling, eventually tying the set at 12-12 after a kill by Meg Wolowicz. After trading points, NIU went on a 6-2 run to build a 19-15 lead. WMU battled back and tied it up at 20-20 but Northern Illinois pulled way at the end after an attack error on Western Michigan and another kill by Wolowicz.

The Broncos took an early 4-2 lead and extended it to a 9-6 advantage until a kill by Wolowicz sparked a run from the Huskies early in the second set. NIU went on a 5-1 stretch to take an 11-10 lead but WMU took went on a 6-1 run to retake the lead 16-12. From there Western Michigan held ground and Northern Illinois never got within closer than three of the lead, winning the set 25-22.

The third set was tight early on with the teams battling to a 12-12 tie. WMU went on a 3-0 run to take the lead and never trailed from that point. The Huskies were able to whittle away the lead and tie it up at 23-23 but a LeMay kill and an attack error on Wolowicz finished off the set for the Broncos.

WMU jumped out to a huge 10-1 lead in the final set and cruised from there to win the match after an attack error on NIU pushed the final score to 25-13. Western Michigan hit .355 in the final set, with Smigiel going 4-for-5.

The Broncos head on the road to reigning MAC Tournament Champions Miami on Friday at 5 p.m.