OXFORD, Ohio – The Western Michigan volleyball team opened up its three-match road trip with a four-set victory (25-18, 21-25, 25-14, 25-18) at Miami on Thursday night. The win moved WMU to 3-0 in MAC play for the third time in the last five seasons.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Miami 1
LOCATION: Millett Hall (Oxford, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (6-10, 3-0 MAC) | Miami (8-7, 2-1 MAC)
 
Leah Richmond collected a double-double for the seventh straight contest after posting 45 assists and 16 digs. The redshirt freshman set up four teammates for double-digit kills, led by Mary Clare Brusek's 13. Annalise Patchett added 11 kills for the Brown and Gold, while Molly Brown and Mia Jurkovic tallied 10 apiece.  
 
WMU's defense equaled its season-best of 12 blocks for the third consecutive match, led by Amanda Glanton's season-high 10 rejections (1 solo, 9 assists). Elana Erickson recorded a match-high 21 digs, with Richmond (16), Reeghan Boyer (12) and Lizzie MacIntosh (10) joining their libero in double-figures.
 
Western Michigan built an early five-point lead in the first set, 10-5. At 10-7, the Broncos rattled off five in a row to extend their advantage to 15-7, and did not let the margin dip below six for the remainder of the opening frame.
 
The Broncos held a 14-11 edge in the second, but Miami then reeled off four in a row to begin an 8-2 stretch to move in front, 19-16. Western Michigan responded with four straight to briefly regain the lead, but Miami came right back with a 6-1 surge to close it out and even the contest at one set apiece.
 
WMU rolled out to an 8-1 start in the third. The RedHawks worked their way to within five, 10-5, before the Broncos ripped off eight straight to balloon the cushion to 18-5 and put the set well beyond reach.
 
Tied 5-5 in the fourth, Western Michigan rattled off six in a row as part of a 12-3 surge to open up a 17-8 advantage. Miami charged hard with a run which trimmed the gap all the way down to three, 20-17, but the Brown and Gold closed it out with five of the final six points of the night.
 
Western Michigan continues its road trip on Friday night at Ball State. First serve against the Cardinals is set for 6 pm on ESPN+.