KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team celebrated Senior Day in style, as it clinched at least a share of the Mid-American Conference Regular Season Title with a straight-set victory (25-20, 28-26, 27-25) over Ball State on Saturday at University Arena.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Ball State 0
LOCATION: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (25-2, 15-0 MAC) | Ball State (14-12, 11-4)
 
The regular season title is the 10th in Western Michigan program history, and its first since 2008. The Broncos also clinched the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Championship, which they will host at University Arena from Nov. 18-20. Ticket information for the tournament will be available soon.
 
Saturday's victory was also the 200th MAC win for WMU head coach Colleen Munson, making her just the fifth head coach in league history to win 200 conference matches.
 
On her Senior Day, Maggie King led the WMU attack with 19 kills on a .317 hitting percentage. Joining King in double-figures was Keona Salesman, who tallied 10 kills. Logan Case set up the Bronco offense to the tune of a .326 team hitting percentage with 42 assists. The Maineville, Ohio, native also added 10 digs for her second consecutive double-double.
 
Andelyn Simkins posted a match-high 14 digs to lead Western Michigan's defense, and was one of five Broncos to record eight or more digs in the contest. Reeghan Boyer and Case had 10 apiece, Anna Calcagno picked up nine, and Senior Day honoree Mairead Boyle pitched in eight.
 
A 6-0 run helped the Broncos get out to an 8-4 lead in the opening frame. Ball State fought back to get even at 10-10. Tied again at 15-15, Western Michigan burst back in front with a four-point spurt. The Cardinals worked their way back to within two multiple times, including 21-19, before WMU tallied four of the next five points to seal the set.
 
Trailing 13-10 in the second set, WMU used a 5-1 stretch to creep out in front, 15-14. The Broncos briefly grabbed a three-point edge at 23-20, but BSU answered with the next three to tie it up, 23-23. The Brown and Gold got to set point at 24-23, but the Cardinals fought it off and reached set point themselves at 25-24. Western Michigan evened the frame at 25-25 on a kill by Calcagno. After Ball State fended off another set point at 26-25, the Broncos took advantage of a pair of mistakes by the visitors to seal the second set, 28-26.
 
Ball State came out and built a 10-5 advantage in the third set. With the deficit still at five, 13-8, Western Michigan put together a 9-3 surge to take a 17-16 lead. The two teams continued to go back and forth until a 4-1 run put the Cardinals on the brink of sending the match to a fourth set, 24-22. A couple of BSU errors and a service ace by Case turned the tables, giving the Broncos a chance to win the contest at 25-24. The visitors survived the first match point to get back level at 25-25, but the Brown and Gold answered with the next two points, with Madison Merz delivering the match-clinching kill for the Broncos.
 
Western Michigan hits the road for its final three matches of the regular season, beginning next weekend at Toledo. First serve for Friday's series opener against the Rockets is slated for 6 pm on ESPN+.    

Postmatch Interview with head coach Colleen Munson: