MUNCIE, Ind. – The Western Michigan volleyball team suffered its first Mid-American Conference loss of the season on Friday night as it dropped a tight 3-1 decision (25-16, 14-25, 25-23, 25-22) at Ball State.  
 
FINAL SCORE: Ball State 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Worthen Arena (Muncie, Ind.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (6-11, 3-1 MAC) | Ball State (8-8, 4-0 MAC)
 
Leah Richmond continued her double-double streak, registering her eighth in a row with 42 assists and 12 digs. The balanced WMU attack featured five with nine or more kills, led by Mary Clare Brusek and Annalise Patchett putting down 12 apiece. Molly Brown tallied 11 kills for the Brown and Gold, with Amanda Glanton and Mia Jurkovic each chipping in nine.
 
Elana Erickson paced the four Broncos who recorded double-digit digs with 14. Carley Piercefield registered 13, Richmond had 12 and Reeghan Boyer notched 10 digs. Glanton paced the WMU block with six rejections (2 solo, 4 assists).
 
With the first set tied up at 10-10, Ball State used a 10-3 run to move ahead, 20-13. The Broncos worked the margin down to 20-15, but the Cardinals then rattled off five of the next six to put the first frame away.   
 
Western Michigan notched six of the first seven points on its way to a 10-3 start in the second. At 15-10, the Brown and Gold used a 5-1 spurt to stretch the lead out to 20-11, and never looked back as they took the set, 25-14, to even the contest at one apiece.
 
WMU held a 6-4 edge early in the third, but Ball State wiped that out with five in a row as part of a 10-1 surge to move ahead, 14-7. A 5-2 spurt brought the Broncos to within three, 17-14, and a 6-1 run then put them in front, 23-22. The Cardinals responded, notching the next three points to eke out the third frame, 25-23.  
 
Ball State picked up seven of the first 10 points at the start of the fourth. At 11-8, the Cardinals tallied six of the next seven to increase their advantage to 17-9. WMU countered with four straight as part of a 6-1 run to close the gap to 18-15. The Broncos got as close as two on multiple occasions, including 24-22, before BSU was able to put it away.
 
Western Michigan closes out its three-match road swing on Tuesday as it visits NIU. First serve between the Broncos and Huskies is slated for 7 pm on ESPN+.