KALAMAZOO, Mich.  – On day one of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, Western Michigan volleyball split its pair of matches defeating IUPUI in five sets before falling to Auburn in three on Friday inside University Arena.

Along with the split, junior outside hitter Rachel Bontrager entered the WMU records book, recording her 1,000th kill in the third set against IUPUI. The Valparaiso, Ind., native becomes the 24th player in school history to reach the 1,000 kill mark.

On the day, Bontrager led the Broncos with 28 kills, averaging 3.50 per set while hitting .187. Bontrager also averaged 2.38 digs and 0.50 blocks per set. Behind Bontrager was freshman Maggie King with 23 kills to go along with five digs and four blocks.

Senior Willow Martin earned double-digit kills on Friday with 11 along with three blocks. Junior Mary Marzo led the way for the offense with 57 assists, averaging a staggering 7.12 per set. Senior Kathleen Reilly recorded 45 digs on the day and is now just 25 digs away from becoming the third player in school history to have over 2,000 digs.

With the split the Broncos now have an overall record of 9-2. Western Michigan concludes the home tournament and non-conference play on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 5:00 p.m. against in-state foe Michigan State.

Match #1 vs. IUPUI (W, 22-25, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15, 15-13)
In its first match of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, Western Michigan stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat IUPUI in five sets on Friday afternoon.

Leading the way for the Broncos was junior Rachel Bontrager who recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 15 digs. Bontrager also eclipsed the 1,000-kill mark for her career in the third set, marking the 25^th player in school history to do so.

Joining Bontrager with a double-double of her own was fellow junior Mary Marzo with 34 assists and 15 digs. Marzo also tallied one service ace and one block. Freshman Maggie King ranked second on the team with 12 kills and had five digs and three blocks.

WMU had three players with double digit digs with senior Kathleen Reilly leading the team with 25 digs. Bontrager and Marzo each had 15 for the Brown & Gold. At the net the Broncos were dominant recording 11 blocks to IUPUI's six.
In the first set the two teams went back and forth before IUPUI pulled away midway through the set with a 3-0 run forcing WMU to call a timeout. The Broncos tied the set back up at 19-19 before the Jaguars pulled away late for the set one victory.

It was once again a back and forth affair in the second set before once again the Jaguars embarked on a 4-0 run to grab a 14-10 advantage. A kill by freshman Alyssa Torres cut the IUPUI lead down to two before the Jaguars scored six of the next eight points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Trailing 2-0 in the match, the Broncos rallied back in the third set. WMU held a slim one-point advantage early in the third before embarking on a 6-1 run to hold a 16-10 advantage. Later in the set, IUPUI countered with a 4-0 run to cut the Bronco lead down to 18-15. Down the stretch, IUPUI looked to make a comeback before redshirt sophomore Charley Andrews ended the set with a kill.

The Broncos dominated the fourth set registering a .238 attack percentage and holding IUPUI to a -.027 attack percentage. WMU raced out to an 11-4 lead and never looked back embarking on a 5-0 run late in the fourth set to take a commanding 21-12 lead. Junior Cassandra Smigiel ended the fourth with her third kill of the set to force a fifth and final set.

In the fifth WMU trailed during the early stages of the set before embarking on a 4-0 run late to regain a 12-11 advantage. IUPUI tied the set up at 12-12 before Bontrager and Andrews delivered back-to-back kills to extend the Bronco lead to two. The Jaguars earned one more point before a kill from Maggie King completed the comeback for the Brown & Gold.
 
Match #2 vs. Auburn (L, 26-28, 20-25, 18-25)
Concluding day one of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament, Western Michigan volleyball battled but fell in three sets to Auburn.

The Broncos were led by the duo of Bontrager and King who each recorded double digit kills. Bontrager led the way with 12 while King was right behind with 11. Junior Mary Marzo guided WMU with 23 assists to go along with eight digs and two kills.

Senior Kathleen Reilly and junior Kaley Smith each had double digit digs with Reilly having 20 and Smith having 12. As a team the Broncos hit just .108 against the Tigers and had two blocks compared to Auburn's nine.

It was a tightly contest first set as neither team led by more than two for the entire set. Midway through the set, WMU went on a 3-0 run to take a 12-9 lead before Auburn called a timeout. After the timeout, Auburn rallied and embarked on a 6-0 run to grab a two-point lead.

After a Bontrager kill, the set was tied at 24-24 before an Auburn attack error inched WMU closer to victory. However, on the ensuing serve, the Tigers earned a kill to knot the score back up at 25-25. The set was tied at 26-26 before a kill and a block by Auburn clinched the set one victory.

The second set was much of the same as both teams battled early in the set before Auburn embarked on a 7-0 run to grab a 15-7 advantage. Western Michigan countered with a 4-0 run of their own to cut the Auburn lead down to 15-11 midway through the set. The Brown & Gold got to within one late in the set thanks to a 5-0 run before Auburn scored six of the final eight points to gain a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, Auburn went on a 6-0 run midway through the set to gain an 18-11 lead. The Broncos battled back and got to within five after a block before the Tigers raced past the Broncos 25-18 for the set and match victory.