MUNCIE, Ind. – The Western Michigan volleyball team battled in its final road match of the regular season but dropped a 3-0 (16-25, 23-25, 21-25) decision to Mid-American Conference West Division leader Ball State on Saturday night.

For the first time this season, sophomore Emma Yarber recorded a double-double with 16 assists and 10 digs. It's the third time this season Yarber has had double-digit assists and only the second time she has amassed double-digit digs. The sophomore setter becomes just the third Bronco this season to have a double-double.

The Broncos had eight players register a kill against the Cardinals with freshman Meredith Phillips leading the way with 10 kills. Phillips hit. 214 against Ball State and over the weekend had 18 kills, averaging 2.25 per set. It's the first time this season Phillips has led the Broncos in kills.

Behind Phillips was junior Kate Carey with eight kills while having a team-high .227 attack percentage. Sophomore Rachel Bontrager neared her 11^th double-double of the season with 10 digs and six kills. Bontrager on the weekend averaged 2.50 kills and 3.62 digs per set.

WMU had four earn double-digit digs against BSU as junior Kathleen Reilly led the way with 16. Sophomore Kaley Smith once again had a good night defensively recording 11 digs and has now had double-digit digs in five of the last six matches. Rounding out the double-digit digs was the sophomore duo of Bontrager and Yarber with 10.  

Neither team had a high attack percentage as WMU hit just .077 while Ball State hit .124. At the net, BSU held the edge recording 10 blocks compared to WMU's seven. Freshman Sammi Labolle led the Brown & Gold with four blocks, one shy of her career-high.

With the loss the Broncos drop their overall record to 13-13 and 3-9 in conference play. WMU is home for its final four games of the regular season beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 31 against Northern Illinois. WMU then plays hosts to Miami (Nov.3) and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 9) before ending the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 10 against rival Central Michigan.

First Set (WMU – 16, Ball State – 25)
Ball State quickly jumped out to an early lead in the first set as the Cardinals used a 4-0 run to take a 10-3 lead and force WMU to call a timeout. Later in the set the Broncos trailed 20-9 before embarking on a 6-2 run with two kills from Carey and Bontrager to cut the BSU lead down to seven. However, the Cardinals rallied back scoring three of the final four points to win the first set, 25-16.

Second Set (WMU – 23, Ball State – 25)
It was a back and forth battle in the second set as WMU took an early 4-1 lead thanks to Bontrager recording three straight kills. Ball State regained the lead thanks to a 4-1 run of their own before the Broncos combated with a 3-1 run to tie the match at 11-11. Late in the set Ball State held a 24-21 advantage before kills from Phillips and junior Willow Martin brought the Broncos to within one. The Bronco comeback was halted one point later as BSU's Meg Starling earned the final point to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the match.

Third Set (WMU – 21, Ball State – 25)
The Cardinals kept their momentum going from the second set to grab an 8-1 lead and force WMU to call a timeout. Midway through the set the Bronco offense came to life embarking on an 8-3 run to cut the deficit down to one at 17-16. WMU used a 2-0 run later in the set to trail 21-20 before BSU scored the final four points to win the set and the match.