KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team puts its 13-match winning streak on the line this weekend as it welcomes Ball State to University Arena for its final regular season home series. Saturday is Senior Day for WMU, with the Broncos set to honor
Mairead Boyle and
Maggie King with a pre-match ceremony.
WEEKEND INFO
Match One: Friday, Nov. 3 | 6 pm |
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Match Two: Saturday, Nov. 4 | 3 pm |
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THE FIRST SERVE
Riding its longest winning streak since 2000, when it won 19 straight, Western Michigan welcomes Ball State to town this weekend. The Broncos are 13-0 in MAC play for the first time since 1999 and are 10-0 at home this year. Going back to last season, WMU has won 13 straight at University Arena, their longest home winning streak since a 20-match run during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a pair of four-set wins last weekend against Buffalo and Akron. Western Michigan hit a combined .311 in the two contests, with
Maggie King (4.75/set),
Keona Salesman (4.25/set) and
Anna Calcagno (3.88/set) each recording double-digit kills in both victories.
MAC TOURNAMENT SPOT CLINCHED
With last week's wins, WMU became the first team to clinch its spot in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Championship. The Broncos can clinch at least a share of the regular season title and the tournament's No. 1 seed by sweeping Ball State.
MUNSON APPROACHING MILESTONE
WMU head coach
Colleen Munson is just two wins away from becoming the fifth head coach in Mid-American Conference history to record 200 conference wins. The MAC's all-time leader in conference wins is Miami head coach Carolyn Condit (376).
BRONCOS SWEEP PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
For the fourth time this season, WMU swept the MAC West Player of the Week awards, with
Logan Case (Setter),
Keona Salesman (Offensive) and
Andelyn Simkins (Defensive) claiming the honors. Case handed out 108 assists (13.50/set) and helped set Salesman up for 34 kills (4.25/set) on a .316 hitting percentage. Defensively, Simkins had 52 digs (6.50/set) and on Friday became the seventh Bronco to surpass 1,500 career digs.
SETTING THE TABLE
Logan Case enters Friday leading NCAA DI in assists (1,036) and is third in assists/set (11.77). Behind the senior's setting prowess, the Broncos lead the MAC in assists/set (13.40, 4th in DI), kills/set (14.30, 5th) and hitting percentage (.268, 24th).
SERIES HISTORY
Ball State leads the all-time series against Western Michigan, 52-48. The Cardinals enter the weekend having won each of the last five matchups between the two programs, including a pair of wins the last time they came to Kalamazoo in 2021.
