HARRISONBURG, Va. – Madison Merz tallied a new career-high 19 kills, but Western Michigan fell 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22) to James Madison in the final match of the Erie Insurance Invitational on Sunday.
FINAL SCORE: James Madison 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Convocation Center (Harrisonburg, Va.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (4-5) | James Madison (5-3)
Merz's career-high 19 kills led the Broncos and came on a .457 hitting percentage. The senior was joined in double-figures by
Annalise Patchett and
Keona Salesman, who notched 10 kills apiece.
Logan Case came just shy of a double-double as she handed out 44 assists and racked up nine digs. Following the match, Merz and Case were both named to the All-Tournament Team. Merz averaged 3.27 kills per set for the weekend and hit .329, while Case registered 11.29 assists and 2.93 digs per set in WMU's three matches.
Western Michigan also served up eight aces, including two each by
Reeghan Boyer,
Mary Clare Brusek and
Elana Erickson.
Defensively,
Andelyn Simkins paced the Brown and Gold with 22 digs, while Erickson collected a new career-high 14 and Boyer chipped in with 10.
Amanda Glanton recorded a team-high four blocks.
With the opening frame even at 6-6, Western Michigan rattled off four in a row to open up a 10-6 advantage. At 13-10, the Brown and Gold used a 4-1 spurt to up the margin to six, 17-11. James Madison got back to within three again at 18-15, but WMU tallied another four straight, capped by a Brusek service ace, to build the margin to 22-15 and put the first set beyond reach.
Western Michigan ripped off five consecutive points to grab a 14-11 lead in the second set. The Dukes responded with six of the next seven to move in front, 17-15. The Broncos got back even at 17-17, but JMU used a 4-1 spurt to regain a 21-18 cushion. WMU eventually fought off a pair of set points to close the gap to 24-22 before James Madison finished off the frame to even the contest at one set apiece.
The Broncos tallied nine consecutive points to race out to a 9-2 lead in the third frame. JMU came right back with a run of its own to close the gap to 12-11. At 13-11, the Dukes then ripped off nine straight points to open up a 20-13 advantage. A 7-1 WMU response got the visitors all the way back to within one, 21-20, but James Madison held off the Brown and Gold to claim the set and move ahead in the contest, 2-1.
JMU notched the first four points of the fourth frame, but Western Michigan battled back to draw level at 10-10. Back in front 15-14, the Dukes tallied four consecutive points to extend their lead to 19-14. A 4-1 stretch helped the Broncos get back to within two, 22-20, but once again James Madison staved off the WMU charge and held on for the victory.
Western Michigan wraps up non-conference play with a two-match series at #16 Tennessee. First serve of the series opener in Knoxville is set for 6 pm on Thursday evening.
