MUNCIE, Ind. – Logan Case (50 assists, 12 digs) and Maggie King (23 kills, 14 digs) each recorded their ninth double-double of the season, but Western Michigan fell at Ball State, 3-1, (25-27, 25-22, 25-22, 25-17) on Friday evening to open up its four-match road trip.  
 
FINAL SCORE: Ball State 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Worthen Arena (Muncie, Ind.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (13-9, 5-5 MAC) | Ball State (16-6, 8-2 MAC)
 
King's 23 kills were a season high, and gave the senior her third match with 20+ kills this season. The Cincinnati native has registered a double-double in four consecutive contests for the Broncos. Case reached the 50-assist mark for the seventh time in 2022 to extend her streak of 30 or more assists to 35 consecutive matches.
 
Abi Wilcoxson came within one kill of her career high, as she tallied 14 kills on an even .300 hitting percentage. Andelyn Simkins nearly had her first double-double of the campaign, as WMU's libero tallied 22 digs and a career-high tying eight assists. Reeghan Boyer chipped in 12 digs to Western Michigan's defensive effort.
 
The first set was tight throughout, with the two teams tied on 13 different occasions during the opening stanza. Western Michigan broke a 17-17 deadlock with a 4-1 spurt, but Ball State responded with the next four to move in front, 22-21. The Broncos wrestled the lead back and got to set point on multiple occasions before King hammered down her sixth kill of the frame to give WMU the first set, 27-25.
 
With the Broncos holding an 11-10 edge in the second set, Ball State tallied four consecutive points to seize a 14-11 lead. The Cardinals got the margin to five, 21-16, before WMU used a 5-1 run to climb back to within one at 22-21. BSU staved off the rally from there to claim the set and even the contest at one apiece.
 
Ball State got out to a 10-6 advantage in the third set and remained on top until a four-point run put the Broncos in front, 17-16. With WMU leading 20-19, the Cardinals rattled off three in a row to jump ahead, 22-20. After Western Michigan evened the score at 22-22, another three straight points gave BSU the set and a 2-1 lead in the contest.
 
Eight consecutive points helped the Cardinals jump out to a 10-4 advantage in the fourth set. The Broncos trimmed the gap down to three on multiple occasions, but could not get any closer, and Ball State held on for the four-set victory.
 
The Broncos and Cardinals continue their series on Saturday evening. First serve is once again slated for 6 pm.