KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Western Michigan and #15 Tennessee went to extra points in three of the contest's four sets, with the Lady Vols ultimately coming out on top with the 3-1 victory (24-26, 25-20, 29-27, 33-31) on Thursday evening.  
 
FINAL SCORE: #15 Tennessee 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (4-6) | #15 Tennessee (6-3)
 
Four different Broncos had nine or more kills, led by Keona Salesman's 12. It was the 10th straight double-digit kill performance for Salesman. Mary Clare Brusek, Anna Calcagno (.438) and Amanda Glanton (.389) recorded nine kills apiece for Western Michigan. Logan Case fueled the WMU attack with 45 assists.
 
On the defensive side, Andelyn Simkins paced the Brown and Gold with 14 digs. Joining WMU's libero in double-figures were freshmen Elana Erickson and Carley Piercefield, who registered 11 apiece.
 
Tennessee was out of the gates quickly, tallying 10 of the night's first 13 points to grab a seven-point cushion. A 7-2 run helped Western Michigan get back even, 17-17. After UT took the next point to make it 18-17, the Broncos used a 4-1 spurt to nab a 21-19 edge. The Lady Vols countered with five in a row to get it to set point, 24-21. The Brown and Gold then roared back with the ensuing five points to snatch the first set, 26-24.  
 
A five-point spurt put UT in front 8-4 in the early stages of the second set. The Lady Vols slowly continued to increase the margin and led by as many as eight, 21-13. WMU had a 5-1 stretch which closed the gap to 22-18, but the visitors got no closer, as Tennessee evened the contest at one set apiece.
 
The final two frames featured a combined 38 ties. In the third, the Lady Vols used a 4-1 spurt to open up a 14-12 edge. At 19-18, another 4-1 run increased UT's lead to four, 23-19. Western Michigan fought back with five in a row and got to set point at 24-23 following a Brusek ace. Tennessee fended off three set points before getting one of its own at 27-26. A Calcagno kill kept the Broncos alive and made it 27-27, but the hosts answered with the next two to take the frame, 29-27.  
 
By itself, the fourth set featured 24 ties, with neither team holding a lead of larger than three after an early 7-4 Tennessee advantage. With UT up 15-14, the Broncos put together a 5-2 stretch to nudge ahead, 19-17. The Lady Vols countered with four of the next five to wrestle the lead back, 21-20. A three-point burst then put the Brown and Gold back on top, 23-21.
 
WMU had a couple of chances to close out the frame at 24-22, but Tennessee battled back to even it up at 24-24. The back and forth continued, with each team fending off multiple chances for the other to clinch the set in its favor. At 31-31, UT's Nina Cajic put together back-to-back kills, setting a new program record with 42, to seal the set and the match.
 
The Broncos and Lady Vols are back at it on Friday afternoon with the second match of their series. First serve is slated for 2 pm on SECN+.