KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan volleyball rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to force a deciding fifth set before falling to Mid-American Conference West foe Toledo (23-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 14-16) on Saturday night inside University Arena.  

As a team the Broncos outhit the Rockets, recording a .246 attack percentage compared to Toledo's, .175. WMU also recorded a five-set match-high eight blocks compared to UT's seven. The two teams each had 56 assists while UT had 10 service aces compared to WMU's three.

For the second straight game and seventh time this season sophomore Rachel Bontrager collected a double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs. Freshman Meredith Phillips came one shy of her career-high with 12 kills while having a .225 attack percentage. Fellow freshman Sammi Labolle earned double digit kills for the second time this season with 11 kills while recording a.368 attack percentage.

Sophomore Kaley Smith had a career night against the Rockets, registered a career-high 21 digs to go along with two assists and one service ace. It's the eighth time this season Smith has recorded double digit digs. Sophomore Emma Yarber also captured a career-high with 10 digs and had four assists and one kill.

Bontrager added 14 digs while junior Kathleen Reilly had 13 for a total of 77 for the Broncos. Senior Mary Murphy had 40 or more assists for the fifth time this season, earning 46 on Saturday against the Rockets.

Western Michigan now has an overall record of 10-6 and is 0-2 in MAC play. The Broncos are on the road for their next four matches beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at Northern Illinois. The Brown & Gold then square off with Bowling Green (Sept. 29), Central Michigan (Oct. 5) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 6).

First Set (WMU – 23, Toledo – 25)
The Broncos and Rockets battled back and forth in the first set with neither team leading by more than five midway through. Toledo jumped out to an early 16-11 lead before the Broncos rallied with a 5-2 run to cut the margin to two. The set was tied at 23-23 before kills from Toledo's Zoe Birnbrich and Alexis Falzone ended the set.

Second Set (WMU – 23, Toledo – 25)
Western Michigan jumped out to an early lead in the second before the Rockets embarked on a 6-0 run midway through the set to take a 15-12 lead. WMU roared back later in the set, going on a 4-0 run to take a one-point lead at 20-19. However, the Rocket scored six of the final nine points to take a 25-23 set victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.

Third Set (WMU – 25, Toledo – 16)
It was a dominant third set for the Broncos as the Brown & Gold hit .379 as a team en route to a 25-16 set victory. WMU stormed out of the game scoring 14 of the first 18 points to take a 14-4 lead. The closest Toledo got was eight thanks to a 4-0 run late before back-to-back kills by the Broncos ended the set.

Fourth Set (WMU – 25, Toledo – 21)
The Brown & Gold seized momentum in the fourth set and jumped out to a 19-12 lead thanks to a 5-0 run highlighted by two kills from Labolle. Down the stretch, the Rockets came soaring back thanks to a 3-0 run to cut the Bronco lead to two at 22-20. WMU responded scoring three of the next four points to force a fifth and deciding set.

Fifth Set (WMU – 14, Toledo – 16)
It was as thrilling as a fifth-set can be between WMU and Toledo on Saturday night. The two teams traded points early until a 3-0 run by the Broncos gave WMU a 10-7 advantage. After a Toledo timeout, the Rockets scored five of the next six points with two service aces to regain the lead at 12-11.

A solo block by Bontrager knotted up the fifth set at 14-14 before kills by UT's Aleix Falzone and Zoe Birnbrich.