KALAMAZOO, Mich – Western Michigan women's basketball fell to the Ball State Cardinals this evening inside University Arena by a final score of 64-56. The result tonight moves WMU to 14-12 on the season, and 8-9 against Mid-American Conference opponents.

The opening quarter of play featured some back-and-forth scoring from both teams, with each squad trying to get into rhythm early on. After four lead changes and a tie in just the first period, the Broncos found themselves down on the scoreboard by an 11-7 margin. Redshirt junior forward Abby Voss got things started with a pair of buckets while sophomore guard Lauren Ross connected from deep off a feed from fellow sophomore guard Megan Wagner.

Quarter number two was dead even in terms of scoring, with both the Broncos and Cardinals tallying 10 points respectively. Junior guard Sydney Shafer cashed in on a trio of free throws at the end of the half to bring Western Michigan within four, trailing 21-17 at the break. Five different WMU players put the ball in the hoop in the opening 20 minutes for a balanced scoring breakdown. Redshirt sophomore forward Taylor Williams held things down for her team, especially on the defensive end, posting a pair of buckets to go along with seven rebounds and three steals in the half.

The third quarter belonged to the Broncos as WMU trimmed the Ball State lead to just two points, entering the fourth with the score at 39-37 in favor of BSU. Sydney Shafer picked up the slack for the Western Michigan offense, recording nine points in the third quarter alone. Megan Wagner showed off her court vision and defensive tenacity, dishing out three assists and swiping four steals in the third as well. Period number three featured four lead changes and five ties as each team got comfortable down low for 10 paint points apiece.

The game's final stanza was neck and neck for all but the final couple of minutes, as Ball State knocked down back-to-back threes with just over a minute remaining to seal the deal. Sydney Shafer and Taylor Williams each posted six fourth quarter points despite the comeback effort falling short for Western Michigan. The Broncos stuck to their strengths down the stretch, scoring 14 of their 19 points in the fourth from the painted area.

Leading the scoring charge for WMU tonight was Sydney Shafer, who finished with a team-high 18 points, five steals, and two rebounds. Taylor Williams added a near double-double with 13 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Lauren Ross and sophomore guard Hannah Spitzley each contributed nine points as well. Furthermore, Spitzley pulled down four rebounds and dished out a pair of assists, while Ross snatched five boards and two steals during her night.

Western Michigan led the contest in points from turnovers (18) and second chance points (10), while drawing even with the visiting Cardinals in paint points (32). WMU also scored 22 bench points tonight, and tallied 32 rebounds as a collective. The Broncos got into passing lanes this evening, forcing 17 of Ball State's 24 turnovers as three team members finished with four or more steals. The difference in the contest came from the charity stripe, as BSU made 17 of 23 (73.9 percent) free throws, while WMU sank 10-14 (71.4 percent) from the foul line.

Looking ahead, the Broncos now shift their focus to hosting rival Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon inside University Arena. Tip-off on Feb. 26 is set for 2 p.m. and will be available for streaming via ESPN3. Saturday's rivalry matchup will also be senior day as WMU recognizes the commitment and sacrifice of its seniors throughout their careers as Broncos. Students enter all WMU home games free of charge with a valid Bronco ID, and further ticket information can be found at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets, or by calling 1-888-4-WMU-TIX. We hope to see you and yours for senior day on Saturday afternoon!

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