KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team had its four-match winning streak snapped in a 3-1 (15-25, 21-25, 25-20, 26-28) loss to Purdue Fort Wayne as the Broncos wrapped up the Discover Kalamazoo Classic on Saturday night.
The Broncos finished 2-1 in the tournament with wins over Southeast Missouri State and Indiana. Sophomore setter Logan Case was named Tournament MVP, while sophomore outside hitter Andelyn Simkins and freshman middle blocker Madison Merz were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Mastodons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after winning the first set 25-15 and the second set 25-21.
The Broncos responded in the third set with a 25-20. The Broncos hit .281 in the third after the attack sputtered in the first two set. Abi Wilcoxson had four of her 10 kills in the set. WMu was down early in the third set, 7-5 but battled to overcome the deficit, 9-8 after an attack error by PFW's Katie Crowe. From there the Broncos never trailed, keeping the Mastodons at a distance before a kill by Wilcoxson sealed the set.
Western Michigan built an early lead in the fourth set but it was slowly chipped away by PFW. The two teams battled to ties eight times before the Broncos pulled ahead 22-18 but the Mastodons responded with 6-1 run to take a 24-23 lead. A kill by Maggie King tied it up at 25-25 but the Broncos never got a chance at set point. WMu was able to tie it back up twice at 25-25 and 26-26 but back-to-back kills by Crowe sealed the set and the match.
Merz led the Broncos with 11 kills on 19 total attacks. King also was in double digits with 10. Case recorded another double-double with 45 assists and 11 digs.
The Broncos are back in action next Friday and Saturday at the Indiana State Invitational. WMU takes on Austin Peay on Friday at 10, the host Sycamores on Friday at 6 p.m. and then IUPUI on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.