KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The top-seeded Western Michigan volleyball team took care of business in the semifinal round of the 2023 MAC Volleyball Championship on Sunday, as it topped No. 5 seed Toledo in straight sets (25-23, 25-23, 25-17) to advance to Monday's championship match against No. 6 seed Bowling Green. WMU's victory sends it to the championship match for the first time since the 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021.
 
The win is Western Michigan's 29th of the season, the most during head coach Colleen Munson's tenure. WMU's 19 consecutive victories matches its longest winning streak since 2000.
 
FINAL SCORE: No. 1 Western Michigan 3, No. 5 Toledo 0
LOCATION: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (29-2) | Toledo (14-17)
 
Behind 39 assists from Logan Case, the Broncos hit a blistering .417 in the contest, their second-highest team hitting percentage of the season. Case's distribution led to three WMU hitters recording double-digit kills, with Keona Salesman's 15 on a .353 hitting percentage leading the way. Anna Calcagno tallied 12 kills on a .500 hitting percentage and Maggie King notched 11 while hitting .375.
 
Andelyn Simkins spearheaded the defensive effort with 13 digs. With her 1,641 career digs, Simkins is tied for fifth in Western Michigan program history.
 
Toledo held a 10-7 advantage in the first frame, but Western Michigan ripped off six in a row to grab a three-point lead of its own, 13-10. The Broncos remained in front until a 7-1 surge put the Rockets back on top, 22-19. WMU countered with six of the last seven, and Calcagno served up an ace to clinch the first set for the Brown and Gold, 25-23.
 
In the second set, the Rockets again took an early three-point edge, 7-4. WMU battled back to get even at 9-9. Tied again at 13-13, a 5-1 run put Toledo back ahead by four, 18-14.  Facing a 20-16 deficit, Western Michigan notched five of the next six to draw level at 21-21. With the Rockets leading 23-22, Salesman registered a kill to tie it, and back-to-back errors then gave the Brown and Gold another 25-23 victory to take a 2-0 match lead into the break.
 
Western Michigan got out to an 8-4 advantage in the third set. After the Rockets pulled two points back, the Broncos used a four-point spurt to start a 6-1 run which upped the margin to 14-7. WMU kept Toledo at arm's length the rest of the way, as the visitors got no closer than four for the remainder of the frame.  
 
With the victory, the Broncos advance to Monday's championship match, where they will face No. 6 seed Bowling Green. First serve is set for 6:30 pm at University Arena. Tickets are on sale now at wmubroncos.com/tickets.