TOLEDO, Ohio – Opening up the spring 2021 season on the road the Western Michigan volleyball team defeated Toledo in a thrilling five sets (28-26, 19-25, 26-24, 16-25, 15-9) on Friday night inside Savage Arena.

The Broncos were led by senior outside hitter and preseason All-MAC performer Rachel Bontrager. Bontrager posted her first double-double of the season with 16 kills to go along with 10 digs. Bontrager recorded a .227 attack percentage against the Rockets and had three blocks and one assist. It's the 35^th double-double consisting of kills and digs in Bontrager's career.

Behind Bontrager was sophomore Maggie King with 15 kills, three shy of her career-high. In her Bronco debut freshman Andelyn Simkins nearly notched a double-double with 11 digs, seven kills and one block. Fellow freshman Abi Wilcoxson was tied for the team lead with three blocks while recording five kills.

Freshman Logan Case also neared a double-double with a career-high 47 assists to go along with nine digs. The freshman setter also had a team-high three service aces.
Senior Kaley Smith matched Case with three service aces. Redshirt junior Janell Williams had a team-high .375 attack percentage with six kills and one block.

Western Michigan had just a .122 attack percentage to Toledo's .178. Both Toledo and WMU ended the match with 68 digs while WMU had seven service aces to Toledo's five.

It's the second straight season Western Michigan won its opening match of the season and has an overall record of 1-0 and 1-0 in Mid-American Conference play. The Broncos will match-up with the Rockets once again inside Savage Arena on Saturday, Jan 23. First serve is set for 5:00 p.m.

First Set (WMU 28, Toledo 26)
Toledo raced out of the gate in the first set and grabbed an early 6-3 lead before a kill from sophomore Maggie King sparked a 4-0 run for the Broncos. The set was then tied at 9-9 before Toledo earned six of the next nine points to earn a 15-12 advantage. After the two teams traded points WMU embarked on a 6-2 run to earn gain a 20-19 lead late in the first set.

Late in the set Toledo rattled off four straight points to take a 24-21 lead before a 3-0 run from the Broncos tied the set at 24. The two teams traded points once again before back-to-back kills from Bontrager and Williams gave WMU the first set.

Second Set (WMU 19, Toledo 25)
It was a fast start for the Rockets in the second set,  jumping out to a 9-4 lead thanks in large part to an early 5-0 run. The Broncos responded midway through the second with back-to-back service aces from senior Kaley Smith to give WMU a 10-9 lead.  The match was tied at 13-13 before the Rockets went on a 6-1 run to gain a 20-14 advantage. Down the stretch Toledo won 12 of the final 18 points to tie the match at 1-1.

Third Set (WMU 26, Toledo 24)
In the third set it was a quick start for the Broncos as a kill by redshirt junior Charley Andrews followed by a service ace gave the Brown & Gold a 10-2 lead. Toledo clawed its way back midway through the third set and thanks to a 3-0 run cut the Bronco deficit down to 15-11.

WMU led 23-16 before Toledo embarked on an 8-0 run to gain a one-point lead. Kills from freshman Andelyn Simkins, Bontrager and Andrews rallied the Broncos back to earn the third set victory.

Fourth Set (WMU 16, Toledo 25)
Western Michigan never led in the fourth set as the Rockets gained an early 5-2 lead. After back to back blocks from Bontrager and freshman Abi Wilcoxson, Western Michigan trailed by three at 15-12.  That was the closest WMU got as Toledo outscored the Broncos 10-4 the rest of the set to force a fifth and final set.

Fifth Set (WMU 15, Toledo 9)
In the fifth and final set the Broncos earned an early 4-1 lead before two straight solo blocks from the Rockets tied the fifth set at four. Later on the set was tied at eight before a Toledo attack error followed by a kill from Bontrager propelled the Broncos back in front. A kill from Maggie King capped off an 8-1 run for WMU to end the set and the match.