INDIANAPOLIS – Western Michigan volleyball is the 2018 IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational Champions after a perfect 3-0 weekend and a doubleheader sweep on Saturday of Northern Arizona in five sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 9-25, 15-11) and SIU-Edwardsville in four sets (25-18, 22-25, 25-13, 25-21).

Senior Mary Murphy, sophomore Rachel Bontrager and freshman Meredith Phillips were named to the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational All-Tournament team with Murphy earning MVP honors.

With a perfect 3-0 record on the weekend the Broncos have now won five straight matches and improved its overall record to 5-2. On the weekend WMU had three players with at least 30 kills with Bontrager leading the way with 57 kills, averaging 4.38 per set.  

Earning MVP honors, Murphy was outstanding in the three matches totaling 133 assists, averaging 10.23 per set. The senior setter also collected her second double-double of the season against SIUE with 39 assists and 13 digs.

As a team the Broncos had a .293 attack percentage and totaled 27 blocks. WMU had 12 service aces and averaged 17.92 digs per set.

Riding a five-match win streak the Broncos will return home next weekend to host the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, Sept. 7-8 inside University Arena. The tournament field includes Milwaukee, Loyola-Chicago, Canisius and Utah State.

Match One vs. Northern Arizona
In the first match of the day at the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational the Broncos continued its winning ways by defeating Northern Arizona in five sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 9-25, 15-11).

For the second straight match sophomore Rachel Bontrager registered a double-double with a team-high 21 kills to go with 14 digs. Bontrager, who collected her third double-double of the season also collected two blocks.

Junior Kate Carey earned her first double digit kill performance of the season against NAU with 13 kills while recording a .321 attack percentage. Senior Mary Murphy had a dazzling performance as well against the Lumberjacks with 51 assists, nine digs, three blocks and one kill.

Defensively, junior Kathleen Reilly guided the Broncos with a career-high 36 digs to go along with four assists and one service ace. It's the first match this season that Reilly has eclipsed the 30 dig mark and third time she has recorded more than 20 digs in a match.  

The Broncos dropped the first set of the match, 25-20 despite Bontrager earning six of her team-high 21 kills in the set. As a team WMU hit .333 but it wasn't enough as NAU recorded a .441 attack percentage to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

WMU jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead in the second set thanks to an early 4-0 run highlighted by freshman Meredith Phillips earning the first of her four kills in the set. NAU looked to claw its way back into the set before the Broncos embarked on a 4-1 run to take a 20-14 lead. Northern Arizona cut the lead to three late before a kill by Phillips gave WMU a 25-21 set victory to tie the match.

In a pivotal third set WMU and NAU rallied back and forth to remain tied at 13-13 midway through. The Broncos regained the lead thanks to a 4-0 run that forced NAU to call a timeout with WMU leading 17-13. Down the stretch, the Brown & Gold scored three of the final four points to grab the 25-22 third set victory.

Northern Arizona dominated the fourth, recording a staggering .500 attack percentage en route to a 25-9 set victory. The fourth set dominance by the Lumberjacks was highlighted by an 11-0 run that pushed the match to a fifth and deciding set.

Both teams traded points early in the fifth and final set as WMU and NAU were tied at 7-7. After an NAU error and kill by Carey, the Broncos held on to a 9-7 lead as the Lumberjacks called a timeout. The Broncos extended their lead late thanks to a 3-0 run with kills from Phillips, Carey and Bontrager. 

A kill by Bontrager and a Northern Arizona attack error ended the fifth set and gave WMU its fourth straight victory. The Broncos dominated down the stretch ending the match on a 4-0 run.

Match Two vs. SIU-Edwardsville
To conclude the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational Western Michigan volleyball defeated SIU-Edwardsville in four sets (25-18, 22-25, 25-13, 25-21) to cap a perfect 3-0 weekend.  

The Broncos stifled the Cougars, holding SIUE to a .090 attack percentage while registering six service aces and eight blocks. For the third match in a row, a WMU player posted a double-double as senior Mary Murphy earned her second of the season with 39 assists and 13 digs.

Sophomore Rachel Bontrager was one of two Broncos with double digit kills with 14, adding seven digs and two blocks. Freshman Meredith Phillips also eclipsed the double digit kill mark with a career-high 13 kills with a .267 attack percentage. Phillips was also instrumental defensively, recording two blocks.

Fellow freshman Sammi Labolle performed well against SIUE, collecting six kills with a .308 attack percentage. Defensively the trio of Labolle, sophomore Janell Williams and junior Kate Carey each had three blocks.

WMU took the lead early in the first set and never looked back, widening their gap to 17-11 after a kill by freshman Meredith Phillips. SIUE pushed for a comeback with a late 3-0 run but the Broncos scored five of the last seven points to earn the first set victory, 25-18.

The second set came right down to the wire as WMU held on to a 21-20 lead late thanks to a 7-1 run. However, after SIUE tied the match on a Bronco attack error, the Cougars scored three of the next four points to tie the match at 1-1.

The Brown & Gold dominated the third set racing out to a 19-9 lead before scoring five of the last six points to earn a 25-13 set victory and a 2-1 lead in the match. In the third the Broncos had a staggering .429 attack percentage compared to SIUE's, -0.300.

In the fourth set, WMU never trailed and quickly jumped out to a 13-9 lead after a 3-0 run highlighted by back to back kills from sophomore Janell Williams. The Broncos called a timeout leading 18-15 before rattling off two of the next three points to extend their lead. SIUE cut the lead to one before a 5-2 run gave WMU the set victory, 25-21. The fourth set and the match was ended by Bontrager with back-to-back kills.