KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team returns to University Arena on Thursday and Friday to take on Ohio and Kent State.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Match One: Thursday, Oct. 10 | 6 pm | WMU vs Ohio |
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Match Two: Friday, Oct. 11 | 6 pm | | WMU vs Kent State |
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HOME SWEET HOME
Western Michigan returns to University Arena this Thursday and Friday to take on Ohio and Kent State. The Broncos have won 15 of their last 16 home contests against MAC opponents.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos are coming off of a pair of losses at Bowling Green last weekend. Western Michigan got out to a 2-0 lead in Friday's series opener before falling in five. BGSU then took Saturday's contest in three sets.
SETTING THE STANDARD
Logan Case leads the MAC and ranks third in NCAA Division I at 11.24 assists/set. The fifth-year setter has WMU at the top of the league in both assists/set (12.73, 28th in NCAA DI) and kills/set (13.51, 38th). The NCAA's active leader in career assists with 5,715, Case enters the weekend fourth in conference history for career helpers.
DIGGING IN DEFENSIVELY
Andelyn Simkins is the anchor of a Western Michigan defense which leads the conference and ranks 22nd nationally at 16.80 digs/set. Individually, Simkins is averaging 4.82 digs/set, the second-highest mark in the MAC and 25th-best in the nation. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has posted double-digit digs in 44 consecutive matches going back to last season. She enters the weekend 35 digs away from becoming just the fourth Bronco to amass 2,000 career digs.
SCOUTING REPORT
Ohio has split its first two conference weekends against Akron and Toledo. OU's Kam Hunt sits atop the league with 3.84 kills/set, while Anna Kharchynska is fourth at 3.51. Kent State enters the weekend 0-4 in MAC play and on a 10-match losing streak. The Golden Flashes are fourth in the conference in digs/set at 14.77, and are led defensively by Greta Bolognini, who ranks ninth in the MAC at 3.92 digs/set.
SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan owns a 36-26-1 all-time record against Ohio. Last season, WMU won a five-set thriller over the Bobcats in Athens. The Broncos are 42-16 all-time against Kent State, and swept the Golden Flashes in Kent last year for their fifth consecutive win in the series.
