ATHENS, Ohio – The Western Michigan volleyball team bounced back from a 2-1 deficit to pick up a 3-2 (25-15, 23-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-9) win at Ohio on Friday evening to improve to 6-0 in Mid-American Conference play.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Ohio 2
LOCATION: Convocation Center (Athens, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-2, 6-0 MAC) | Ohio (9-10, 4-3)
 
Logan Case registered her third double-double of the campaign for Western Michigan, as she compiled 49 assists and 15 digs. The senior was one of three Broncos to record double-digit digs on the evening. Andelyn Simkins tallied a team-high 20 digs, while Reeghan Boyer registered 16.
 
The Brown & Gold also recorded 12 blocks, with Amanda Glanton's six (6 assists) and Mary Clare Brusek's five (3 solo, 2 assists) leading the charge up front. WMU's combined defensive effort limited Ohio to a .102 hitting percentage in the contest.
 
Offensively, three Broncos notched double-digit kills, with Brusek's career-high 15 leading the way. Anna Calcagno recorded 13 kills, and Maggie King put down 10, her sixth consecutive match with double-digit kills. Julia Marr came off of the bench and racked up nine kills.
 
An 8-1 run helped Western Michigan jump out to a 12-6 advantage in the first set. With the score at 16-11, the Broncos put together a 5-1 run to extend the margin to nine, 21-12, and Ohio got no closer than eight for the remainder of the frame.
 
With the Bobcats holding a 9-8 edge in the second, WMU rattled off six of the next seven points to open up a 14-10 lead. A 4-0 spurt then boosted the advantage to 21-14 for the Broncos. Trailing 23-18, Ohio ripped off seven consecutive points to claim the second set and even the contest at one apiece.
 
The third frame played out in similar fashion. Western Michigan broke an 11-11 deadlock with five in a row to take a 16-11 lead. The Broncos stretched the margin as high as six, 20-14, but the Bobcats rallied again, reeling off 10 consecutive points and 11 of the last 12 to move ahead in the match, 2-1.
 
The Broncos came roaring out of the gates in the fourth, seizing an early 8-2 advantage. Ohio worked its way back to within two, 10-8, but WMU claimed the next four points to boost the margin back up to six, 14-8. At 15-12, Western Michigan used a 7-2 stretch to extend the lead to eight, 22-14, and kept the hosts at arm's length from there to force a decisive fifth frame.
 
Trailing 4-2 in the fifth set, Western Michigan used a 7-1 surge to grab a 9-5 edge. The next two points went to Ohio, but the Broncos answered with four in a row to push their lead to 13-7. The Brown & Gold hung on from there to remain undefeated in conference play.
 
Western Michigan returns to University Arena next Thursday and Friday, Oct. 12-13, for a pair of matches against Central Michigan. First serve for Thursday's series opener is set for 5 pm. For tickets to any WMU home volleyball match this season, visit wmubroncos.com/tickets, or call 1-888-4-WMU-TIX.