YPSILANTI, Mich.  – Guided by three Broncos recording double-digit kills the Western Michigan volleyball team defeated Eastern Michigan in four sets (28-26, 25-23, 24-26, 25-19) to sweep the season series on Saturday night.
Western Michigan displayed a balanced offensive attack against the Eagles registering a .227 attack percentage along with eight service aces. WMU also posted 12 blocks on the night and held EMU to a .217 attack percentage.
Leading the trio of Broncos offensively was junior
Rachel Bontrager with 20 kills to go along with eight digs and a .210 attack percentage. It's the fourth time this season Bontrager has eclipsed the 20-kill mark and the 15th straight match with double-digit kills.
Behind Bontrager was freshman
Maggie King with 12 kills. It was King's first double-digit kill performance since notching 12 against NIU back on Oct. 10. King hit .239 against EMU and nearly had a double-double with eight digs.
Rounding out the trio was senior
Willow Martin with 10 kills for her first double-digit kill performance since Sept. 7 against Loyola-Chicago. Martin's 10 kills were three shy of her career high while also collecting two digs and three blocks.
For the ninth time this season, freshman
Rose Duffy earned a double-double with 50 assists and 11 digs. It's Duffy's third straight match with at least 50 assists and sixth straight match with over 40 assists. Duffy has registered a double-double in four of the last six matches.
Defensively, senior
Kathleen Reilly led the way with 26 digs against the Eagles while at the net redshirt sophomore
Janell Williams had eight blocks.
With the win, Western Michigan improves its overall record to 13-11 and 4-8 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos are back at home next weekend for the final two home matches of the regular season against MAC West foes Ball State (Nov.8) and Toledo (Nov.9).
First Set (WMU – 28, EMU – 26)
The Broncos got off to a fast start in the first set embarking on a 5-0 run to take an early 10-5. It ultimately ended up being an 8-1 run for the Broncos to extend their lead to 13-6 after a service ace.
With WMU leading 14-7 midway through the set, Eastern Michigan countered with a 5-0 run to cut the Bronco lead down to two. After extending its lead to 20-14, the Eagles countered with a 7-1 run to tie the match at 21-21. Down the stretch the Broncos got kills from Martin, King and Bontrager to take the first set, 28-26.
Second Set (WMU – 25, EMU – 23)
In the second set it was EMU that got off to a fast start, grabbing a 5-1 advantage before the Broncos rallied back to tie the set at 7-7 and then again at 10-10.
Late in the set, the Broncos went on a 6-2 run to take a 24-19 lead and one point away from securing the second set. EMU didn't go without a fight, embarking on a 4-0 run to cut the WMU lead down to 24-23. To end the set, it was the kill from junior
Cassandra Smigiel that gave the Brown & Gold a 2-0 lead in the match.
Third Set (WMU – 24, EMU – 26)
It was a back and forth battle in the third set as both teams hit over .250 with EMU registering a staggering .367 attack percentage. The two teams traded points to begin the set en route to an 11-11 tie after a kill from Martin.
Late in the third, EMU widened its lead to 22-18 after a 3-0 run before WMU battled back and tied the set at 24-24. To tie the set, the Broncos got three straight kills from reigning MAC West player of the week
Rachel Bontrager. However, EMU got a kill and a block to next two points to grab its first set of the match.
Fourth Set (WMU – 25, EMU – 19)
To end the match the Broncos held the Eagles to just a .091 attack percentage en route to the 25-19 fourth-set victory. The two teams traded points early on in the set before the Eagles used a 3-0 run to take a 14-11 lead.
However, the Broncos responded midway through the set with a 5-1 run to gain a 17-15 advantage. To end the set, Western Michigan went on a 7-1 run with a block from Williams and Martin to secure the four-set victory over the Eagles.
