KALAMAZOO, Mich. – On its Senior Night clash against Mid-American Conference West Division foe Toledo, the Western Michigan volleyball team fell in five sets (21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-11, 12-15) on Saturday night inside University Arena.
Junior Rachel Bontrager led the Broncos with 14 kills to go along with nine digs. Earning herself a double-double was freshman Maggie King, who amassed 11 kills and 10 digs. Junior Janell Williams racked up 12 total blocks, three solo and nine assisted, and collected five kills.
Leading the way defensively for the Brown & Gold was senior Kathleen Reilly with 22 digs. Junior Mary Marzo also tallied a double-double with 24 assists and 10 digs.
The Broncos move to 13-13 and 4-10 in conference play. Western Michigan will return to action on the road against Northern Illinois on Thursday and at Miami on Saturday, November 16, to round out regular season action.
Set One (WMU - 21, Toledo - 25)
Toledo took off on a 3-0 run before Western got its first kill of the match by Meredith Phillips. The Rockets extended their lead to 13-5 before a 3-0 run by the Broncos got them back within 13-8.
Toledo pushed back its lead to 17-8, only to have the Broncos respond with a 4-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 17-12. Trailing 22-17, Western Michigan crept closer with a 3-0 run after two attack errors from the Rockets, narrowing the gap to 22-20 Toledo. A kill by senior Willow Martin kept WMU in the fight, but the Rockets pulled away with three of the final four points to take the opening set, 25-21.
Set Two (WMU – 25, Toledo – 17)
The Broncos outplayed the Rockets in the second set, taking advantage in the middle of the frame. With the action even at 2-2, WMU hopped ahead 6-3. Winning six of the next 10 points, the Broncos extended the advantage to 12-7. The Rockets were not able to get the set closer than five points the rest of the way.
Bontrager paced the Broncos with four kills in the set while senior Martin added three kills. The WMU defense held stout in the set, holding Toledo to a .067 hitting percentage.
Set Three (WMU – 20, Toledo 25)
Toledo fought back to start the third set, going ahead 5-1 before a kill by Bontrager ended the hot streak. Down 14-5, the Broncos bounced back with help from another Bontrager kill and a block by Williams and Bontrager to trail 17-10.
Not down and out, WMU brought the score within five points after a kill by Kate Carey to trail 23-17. The Broncos ran off three points to stave off the Rockets, but an Emma Swope kill ended the set for the Rockets at 25-20.
Set Four (WMU – 25, Toledo - 11)
Western Michigan grabbed a 5-1 lead early thanks to more blocks from Williams, a Phillips kill and a King kill. Toledo fought back to trail 6-5 following a Reilly service error, but the Broncos pulled away by winning 19 of the final 25 points to close out the set.
Toledo got as close as 11-7 and 14-9, but WMU turned its 14-9 advantage to 20-9 as a pair of King service aces and a trio of attack errors helped the Broncos' cause.
King and Phillips finished with three kills apiece during the set with Williams and Phillips combining for five block assists.
Set Five (WMU – 12, Toledo - 15)
Toledo began another set strong with a kill by Olivia Vance and took a 4-2 advantage after a pair of attack errors on the Broncos. The Rockets pushed its lead to 8-3, aided by a Swope kill and a kill by Zoe Birnbrich.
Leading 11-6, WMU fired up a 4-0 run thanks to Charley Andrews, King and Williams blocks plus a pair of attack errors by the Rockets to make it an 11-10 Toledo advantage.
The Rockets took over down the stretch with four kills in the final six points. A Marzo service ace made it a 13-12 affair in favor of Toledo, but Ryann Jaqua and Chloee Kleespies closed out the match with consecutive kills.
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