MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Logan Case (53 assists, 15 digs) and Julia Marr (17 kills, 14 digs) each picked up double-doubles as Western Michigan fell in five sets (25-18, 22-25, 25-17, 16-25, 15-12) for the second consecutive day to Central Michigan.
 
FINAL SCORE: Central Michigan 3, Western Michigan 2
LOCATION: McGuirk Arena (Mount Pleasant, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-13, 8-9 MAC) | Central Michigan (18-10, 11-6 MAC)
 
Case's double-double was her 13th of the season, tying her for the most on the Broncos. The junior reached the 50-assist mark for the second straight match and 10th overall time in 2022. Marr's 17 kills tied with Maggie King for the team lead in the contest. Abi Wilcoxson joined the duo in double-figures with 11 kills.
 
For the second straight day, Andelyn Simkins surpassed the 30-dig mark, as she posted a new career-high 33 digs. This weekend marked the first time a Bronco had recorded 30 or more digs in back-to-back matches since Kathleen Reilly eclipsed the 30-dig mark in the first three matches of Western Michigan's run to the 2017 Mid-American Conference Tournament championship match.
 
Central Michigan got off to a quick start, grabbing seven of the contest's first nine points. Six consecutive points helped Western Michigan take a one-point edge, 9-8. The Chippewas briefly crawled back in front, 11-9, but the Broncos then reeled off another five in a row to move ahead, 14-11. A six-point point burst started a 13-3 surge which gave CMU the first set.  
 
In the second set, WMU used a 4-1 run to break a 9-9 deadlock and go in front, 13-10. At 15-14, the Broncos put together another 4-1 stretch to extend the margin to 19-15. Central Michigan was able to get back even, but the Broncos used a final 4-1 spurt to take the set and even the match at one apiece heading into the break.
 
Eight of the first nine points of the third set went the way of the Chippewas. A four-point Western Michigan run trimmed the gap to 14-10. WMU got as close as three, 17-14, but Central Michigan kept the Broncos at arm's length to regain the match advantage, 2-1.
 
The Broncos tallied the first three points of the fourth frame on the way to an 8-4 start. Central Michigan closed to within one, 11-10, but WMU responded with a 10-3 surge to open up a 21-13 cushion, putting the fourth set beyond reach and sending the two rivals into a decisive fifth set for the second consecutive day.
 
The fifth frame went back and forth throughout. CMU broke a 3-3 tie with three of the next four points, but the Broncos countered with a 4-1 stretch to eke ahead, 8-7. Following three straight by the Chippewas, Western Michigan used another 4-1 spurt to again take a one-point lead, 12-11. Central Michigan had the final run of the contest, as it tallied the final four points of the evening to come out on top in five frames for the second consecutive day.
 
Western Michigan closes out the regular season on Wednesday night as it welcomes Northern Illinois to University Arena. First serve is set for 6 pm. Tickets are available at wmubroncos.com/tickets.