CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Western Michigan volleyball team rallied to top Grand Canyon in five sets on Saturday at the UNI Tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa. WMU fell to Southeast Missouri State, 3-1, in its second match of the day.
 
Following the second match, Western Michigan senior outside hitter Maggie King was selected to the UNI Tournament All-Tournament Team. King recorded double-digit kills in all three of WMU's matches and totaled 51 (3.92/set) for the tournament. She also had nine or more digs in all three contests for a weekend total of 34 (2.62/set).
 
FINAL SCORE (M1): Western Michigan 3, Grand Canyon 2
LOCATION: McLeod Center (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (5-3) | Grand Canyon (6-2)
 
FINAL SCORE (M2): Southeast Missouri State 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: McLeod Center (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (5-4) | Southeast Missouri State (4-5)
 
In the comeback win over Grand Canyon, King secured her second double-double of the campaign, tallying 22 kills and a career-high tying 16 digs on a .346 hitting percentage. Julia Marr also notched double-digit kills for WMU, posting 12 while hitting .345. Anna Calcagno pitched in eight kills on a .353 hitting percentage.
 
Logan Case handed out 50 assists, her second match of 50+ helpers in 2022. Andelyn Simkins dug up a team-high 17 balls for Western Michigan.
 
The Broncos held an 11-9 edge in the first set until the Antelopes embarked on an 8-2 run to move ahead, 17-13. With the score 20-16, GCU reeled off five straight points to claim the first set.
 
An early WMU advantage was again wiped out by a Grand Canyon run in the second frame. The Broncos were on top 10-9 before a 10-1 surge put the Lopes in the lead, 19-11. Western Michigan drew no closer than six, as GCU took a 2-0 match edge into the break.
 
The two teams were tied at 10-10 after trading 5-0 runs early in the third frame. Even again at 18-18, Western Michigan got three kills from Marr as part of a 7-0 set-sealing run to extend the contest to a fourth frame.
 
A 6-1 stretch helped the Broncos get out to a 13-7 advantage in the fourth set. WMU used a 4-1 spurt to extend the margin to 20-12, and kept the Lopes at bay to send the match into a decisive fifth frame.
 
Grand Canyon held a 7-5 edge early in the fifth set, but Western Michigan answered with three in a row to start a 7-2 run which put the Broncos in front, 12-9. The Lopes tallied the next point to trim the deficit to two, but WMU notched the final three, with a Madison Merz kill sealing the come-from-behind victory for the Broncos.  
 
King led the WMU attack in the nightcap against SEMO as well, notching a match-high 16 kills, while coming one dig shy of her second double-double of the day. Calcagno tallied 10 kills, her highest total as a Bronco, while Marr and Merz picked up nine kills apiece.
 
Case registered her team-leading fourth double-double of the season, as the junior collected 47 assists and 19 digs. Both Simkins and Reeghan Boyer recorded 20 digs for Western Michigan, with Boyer's 20 digs establishing a new career high.
 
The first set was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than two points until the latter stages of the frame. Western Michigan used a 5-1 run to move ahead 20-18, but SEMO countered with the next six points to make it 24-20. The Broncos fought off a pair of set points, but the Redhawks held on to take a 1-0 edge in the contest.
 
The second frame was similarly close until WMU reeled off six consecutive points to break a 16-16 deadlock and open up a 22-16 advantage. Five of the next six points went to the Redhawks to trim the gap to 23-21, but a King kill and SEMO error evened the match at one set apiece.
 
SEMO raced out to a 14-7 advantage in the third frame. Still trailing by seven at 21-14, Western Michigan tallied six straight points, including three kills by King, to get within one, 21-20. The Broncos were within a point on three other occasions, but the Redhawks held on to take the set, 25-23.
 
An early 6-2 Western Michigan advantage was wiped out by a 4-0 SEMO run in the early stages of the fourth set. With the score tied at 11-11, the Redhawks put together an 11-2 surge to open up a 22-13 cushion. WMU got no closer than six for the remainder of the contest.
 
Western Michigan closes out non-conference play next weekend at the Bradley Classic. The Broncos face St. Thomas and Bradley on Friday, and then take on IUPUI on Saturday afternoon.