MILWAUKEE – Western Michigan collected its first win over a ranked opponent since 2003 in a 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22) victory over No. 24 Marquette on Sunday afternoon. 
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, #24 Marquette 1
LOCATION: Al McGuire Center (Milwaukee, Wis.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (3-2) | #24 Marquette (1-3)

The Broncos got big offensive days from Mary Clare Brusek and Keona Salesman to help get the victory. Brusek finished the match with a game-high 20 kills and hit .594. Salesman chipped in 19 kills with a hitting percentage of .320. Additionally, Annalise Patchett had a career-high nine kills. 

Logan Case posted her fourth consecutive double-double, dishing out a game high 45 assists while also recording 18 digs. Andelyn Simkins had a game-high 39 digs in the match. 

Western Michigan got off to a fast start, opening up a 5-2 lead in the first set. Patchett, Brusek and Julia Marr had kills in the run. Marquette would eventually go on to take a 13-12 lead, but the Broncos had another run in them, winning four straight points to grab a 16-13 lead. The run was punctuated with a block from Brusek and Patchett. 

Again, Marquette answered and tied the game at 20-20. However, the Brown and Gold closed the set on a 5-1 run to claim a 1-0 lead in the match. Salesman provided the set-winning kill. 

The second set was more of the same for WMU, as the Broncos jumped out to an 11-5 lead. Marr, Patchett and Salesman each collected two kills in that stretch. Unlike the first set, Western Michigan wouldn't allow the Golden Eagles to make things interesting, getting another kill from Salesman to preserve its six-point lead (19-13). 

After Marquette brought the score to within two (22-20), the Broncos slammed the door by winning the final three points. Brusek provided the final two terminations in the set, giving the Brown and Gold a 2-0 lead. 

Neither team could find an edge in the beginning of the third set, as the score was even at 7-7. However, Marquette found some offensive life, going on a 7-1 run to take a 14-8 lead. Western Michigan would battle back, as a kill from Salesman and an attack error from the Golden Eagles brought the score to 17-16 in favor of Marquette. Marquette would eventually find its footing and close out a 25-21 win in the set. 

The fourth set was all Broncos, as the Brown and Gold opened up a 10-3 lead. Salesman and Brusek each had two kills in that run. As it did most of the afternoon, Marquette battled back and got the score to 12-10. However, three errors and a kill from Marr would build the WMU lead back to six (16-10). 

The Golden Eagles would get as close as two, but Marr would slam the door on a ranked win for the Broncos, picking up the final kill of the match in a 25-22 win in the fourth set. 

Western Michigan will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 11 in East Lansing. First serve between the Spartans and Broncos is set for 6 PM.