KALAMAZOO, Mich. – On Sunday afternoon inside University Arena the Western Michigan volleyball team picked up its 10^th win of the season in a three-set victory (26-24, 25-21, 25-22) over Ball State, marking the first sweep of Ball State since 2016.

The win improved WMU's overall and Mid-American Conference record to 10-3. It's the first time since 2015 and the 20th time in school history the Broncos have reached at least 10 conference wins. Western Michigan has won four straight matches and has won nine straight sets.

Three Broncos recorded double digit kills with senior outside hitter Rachel Bontrager leading the way. Bontrager had 15 kills and hit .275 while registering one assist, two digs and one block. This past week in three matches, Bontrager recorded 58 kills and is now just 18 away from becoming the third player in school history to eclipse 1,500 career kills.

Freshman Andelyn Simkins earned her fourth double-double of the season and second in the last three matches with 10 kills and 11 digs. Simkins registered a .242 hitting percentage against the Cardinals while also earning one assist and one block. Simkins has earned double digit kills in four of the last five matches.

For the second time this season freshman Logan Case recorded a double-double with 40 assists and 11 digs. It's the seventh time in the last eight matches Case has had at least 40 assists while her 11 digs match her career-high. In three matches against Buffalo and Ball State, Case tallied 134 assists, averaging a staggering 12.18 per set.

Rounding out the double-digit kill performances was sophomore Maggie King with 14 kills. King also led the Broncos with a stellar .407 hitting percentage. King has recorded three straight double-digit kill matches and over the past three matches has earned 48 kills, averaging 4.36 per set.

Leading the way defensive was senior libero/defensive specialist Kaley Smith with 15 digs. Smith also had four assists, one shy of her career-high with one kill. At the net, redshirt junior Janell Williams posted four blocks, two of which were solo.

As a team the Broncos hit .301 against the Cardinals and had 48 assists and 55 digs. Ball State registering eight blocks to WMU's four while also earning three service aces to WMU's zero. The Broncos held Ball State to a .233 hitting percentage with the Cardinals registering 15 attack errors.

Western Michigan will take its overall and MAC record of 10-3 on the road for the next five matches beginning March 12-13 at Akron. WMU then has a mid-week match-up with Northern Illinois on March 16 before two matches at Ohio, March 19-20.

Set One (WMU – 26, Ball State – 24)
The Cardinals got off to a fast start to begin the set, embarking on a 6-0 run to take a 13-6 lead. Ball State ultimately went on a 7-1 run to gain a 14-7 advantage midway through the first set. After registering three straight kills the Cardinals were rolling and held a 24-17 advantage late in the first.

However, the Broncos rallied in impressive fashion with Andelyn Simkins recording three straight kills to cut the WMU deficit down to four. A Bontrager kill followed by back-to-back blocks from Janell Williams brought WMU to within one before a Ball State attack error tied the set at 24. Western Michigan completed its comeback with two straight blocks to win the set and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Western Michigan scored the final nine points with the final four points being blocks, two of which were solo blocks by Williams.

Set Two (WMU – 25, Bal State – 21)
It was an even match through the first 22 points in the second set as WMU and Ball State were deadlocked at 11. Western Michigan extended its lead late in the second thanks to a 6-2 run highlighted by kills from Bontrager and Simkins. The Cardinals trimmed the Bronco lead down to three before kills from Simkins and King gave WMU a 2-0 lead in the match.

Set Three (WMU – 25, Ball State – 22)
Western Michigan trailed for the first two points of the third set and that was it as the Broncos rattled off four straight to gain a 4-2 advantage. The Broncos then embarked on a 4-0 run once again to take a 9-3 lead before a 3-0 run midway through the set gave the Brown & Gold a 15-8 advantage.

Ball State looked to rally midway through the third, embarking on a 4-0 run to cut the WMU lead down to 15-12. However, a Maggie King kill followed by a Bontrager kill squashed the Cardinal comeback effort. The Cardinals got to within two late after a service ace but a Bontrager kill and an attack error by Ball State secured the sweep for the Broncos.