BOWLING GREEN, Ohio –  Western Michigan volleyball clinched its first Mid-American Conference victory on Saturday, defeating Bowling Green in four sets (25-21, 25-15, 21-25, 27-25).

Both senior Mary Murphy and sophomore Rachel Bontrager each earned a double-double against the Falcons. It's the second time this season both Bontrager and Murphy have recorded a double-double in the same match.

Bontrager led the Brown & Gold with 18 kills to go along with a career-high 23 digs. The Valparaiso, Ind., native now has eight double-doubles on the season.

Murphy recorded her third double-double of the season with 41 assists and 12 digs. It was the sixth time this season the senior setter has had at least 40 assists.

Junior Kathleen Reilly came within two of her career-high in digs, registering 34 against the Falcons. In the past two matches against BGSU and NIU Reilly has amassed 51 digs and now has 1,538 career digs, which ranks as the sixth most in school history.

Defensively redshirt freshman Janell Williams was dominant at the net, recording a career-high nine blocks to go along with seven kills and three digs.

With the win the Broncos improve their overall record to 11-7 and 1-3 in MAC play. WMU continues its road swing next weekend, traveling to Eastern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 5 and Central Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 6.

First Set (25-21)
The Broncos got off to a quick start and never trailed in the first set and led 10-5 early. Later in the set BGSU clawed their way back going on a 5-1 run to cut the Bronco lead to two at 18-16. BGSU came back to tie the set at 21-21 before the Broncos scored the final four points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.  

Second Set (25-15)
It was a dominant second set for the Brown & Gold, holding BGSU to a -0.60 attack percentage en route to a 25-15 set victory. The Falcons grabbed the early lead before the Broncos rallied to tie the match at 8-8. From that point on it was all WMU as the Broncos ended the second on a staggering 17-7 run for a 2-0 lead in the match.

Third Set (21-25)
The third set proved to be a back and forth marathon between BGSU and WMU. Neither team led by more than three as a service error by WMU knotted the third set up at 18-18. After a kill by freshman Meredith Phillips forced BGSU to call a timeout leading by one, the Falcons rattled off three straight points for the third set win.

Fourth Set (27-25)
Once again it was a back and forth battle between the Falcons and Broncos in the fourth set. WMU quickly jumped out to a 15-9 lead before BGSU stormed back to take a 22-20 lead and force WMU to call a timeout.

After the timeout, BGSU scored two straight to come to within one point of heading to a fifth set before two kills by Bontrager and two Falcon attack errors tied the set at 24-24. Later on tied at 25-25, a BGSU attack error followed by another Bontrager kill clinched the set and the first MAC victory for the Broncos