BUFFALO, N.Y. – Senior Reeghan Boyer eclipsed the 1,000-dig mark for her collegiate career on Friday night and helped Western Michigan to a 3-1 win (26-24, 23-25, 27-25, 25-20) at Buffalo.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Buffalo 1
LOCATION: Alumni Arena (Buffalo, N.Y.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (8-13, 5-3 MAC) | Buffalo (6-11, 3-5 MAC)
 
Wearing the libero jersey for the Broncos on Friday night, Boyer led the way with a match-high 22 digs. The senior collected the 1,000th of her career with a sprawling dig, her 21st of the night, near the midway point of the fourth set.
 
Leah Richmond handed out 51 assists in the contest and spread the wealth, setting up five teammates for double-digit kills. Mia Jurkovic paced the attack with a career-high 16 kills, while Mary Clare Brusek and Amanda Glanton tallied 12 apiece, and the duo of Molly Brown and Annalise Patchett each picked up 10.
 
In addition to her 51 helpers, Richmond added 12 digs to register her 16th double-double of the campaign. Maddie Kmetz posted a career-high 16 digs, Elana Erickson had 14 and Carley Piercefield chipped in 12.
 
Up front, Western Michigan made it eight consecutive contests with double-digit blocks, tying its season high with 13. Brown led WMU in that department with six rejections (1 solo, 5 assists).
 
Buffalo built a 13-9 edge in the opening stanza, but the Broncos came back with the next five to move ahead, 14-13. At 16-15, the Bulls put together a 5-1 stretch to go back in front, 20-17. Western Michigan answered with the next three to even it up, 20-20. The two teams went back and forth until UB got to match point at 24-23. Jurkovic then put down a kill to tie it, Brown followed with a solo block to get WMU to set point, and then another Jurkovic kill gave set one to the Brown and Gold.
 
Trailing 11-9 in the second, Western Michigan rattled off six of the next seven to go on top, 15-12. With the margin at 20-17, Buffalo notched three consecutive points to ignite an 8-3 run which gave the hosts the frame, 25-23.
 
Western Michigan used a 6-1 stretch to break a 7-7 tie and open up a 13-8 advantage in the third. At 16-11, the Bulls notched five in a row to draw level, 16-16. The Broncos regained the lead at 22-19, but UB countered with four straight to go up 23-22. The hosts had a set point opportunity at 24-23, but a Brusek kill evened the frame back up at 24-24. WMU then picked up three of the ensuing four points to seal it, 27-25, and take a 2-1 match edge into the fourth.
 
In the fourth, a 6-1 stretch turned an early deficit into a 14-10 edge for Western Michigan. Buffalo answered right back and got even at 15-15. Tied again at 16-16, the Broncos notched five of the next six to boost the margin back to four, 21-17. WMU kept the Bulls at arm's length from there to close out the contest in four.  
 
Western Michigan and Buffalo are back at it again on Saturday, with first serve set for 4 pm on ESPN+.