KENNESAW, Ga. – Western Michigan senior setter Logan Case recorded the 4,000th assist of her collegiate career in the third set of WMU's five-set loss (25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 20-25, 15-12) to Mississippi State on Friday at the Kennesaw State Invitational.
 
FINAL SCORE: Mississippi State 3, Western Michigan 2
LOCATION: KSU Convocation Center (Kennesaw, Ga.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (7-1) | Mississippi State (5-1)
 
Case handed out a season-high 56 assists to become the third Bronco in program history to surpass the 4,000-assist mark, joining Mary Murphy (4,501) and Kris Penza (4,082). The senior also recorded 13 digs for her second double-double of the year.
 
Keona Salesman was the top beneficiary of Case's assists, as she put down a career-high 23 kills on a .262 hitting percentage. Salesman was joined in double-figures by Anna Calcagno (15 kills) and Maggie King (12). Calcagno added 14 digs to register her team-leading third double-double of the campaign.
 
Defensively, WMU recorded double-digit blocks for the third time this season, notching 10. Mary Clare Brusek led the Broncos up front with a career-high seven rejections (1 solo, 6 assists), while Calcagno chipped in with five block assists. Andelyn Simkins (29) and Mairead Boyle (16) each established new season highs for digs.
 
Western Michigan tallied the first three points of the contest, but Mississippi State responded with 14 of the next 17 points to move ahead, 14-6. MSU kept its advantage at six or more for the remainder of the frame on its way to a 1-0 match lead.
 
The Bulldogs started the second set strong as well, jumping out to a 10-3 edge in the early going. Western Michigan responded with a 9-2 surge to get even at 13-13. MSU countered with the next five points to regain the lead, 18-13. WMU got back to within three a couple of times, but Mississippi State closed out the set with four in a row to go up 2-0 heading into the break.
 
Holding a 12-11 edge in the third set, Western Michigan used a 6-1 stretch to get some breathing room at 18-12. Five consecutive points brought the Bulldogs back to within one, 21-20. At 22-21, the Broncos got back-to-back kills from Salesman, and after MSU got one point back, Calcagno hammered down a kill to give WMU the set and extend the match to a fourth frame.
 
A 6-1 run helped the Broncos turn a one-point deficit into a 13-9 advantage in the fourth set. Mississippi State eventually worked its way back into a tie at 16-16. Western Michigan broke a 17-17 deadlock with four in a row to open up a 21-17 edge. MSU closed the gap to one, 21-20, but the final four points went to WMU, sending the contest into a decisive fifth frame.
 
Leading 6-5 in the fifth set, Mississippi State used a 5-1 run to climb into an 11-6 advantage. Western Michigan struck back with four in a row to shrink the gap to one, 11-10. WMU got to within one again at 12-11 and 13-12, but the Bulldogs notched the final two points of the match to pick up the five-set victory and hand the Broncos their first loss of 2023.  
 
Western Michigan continues play at the Kennesaw State Invitational on Saturday afternoon as it takes on Wake Forest. First serve between the Broncos and Demon Deacons is slated for 3 pm.