GREEN BAY, Wis. – Molly Brown put down a career-high 25 kills to help the Western Michigan volleyball team to a five-set victory (25-20, 25-18, 24-26, 28-30, 15-12) at Green Bay on Thursday night to open up Kendall's Battle at the Capital Credit Union Classic.
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Green Bay 2
LOCATION: Kress Center (Green Bay, Wis.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (2-9) | Green Bay (1-8)
 
Brown had just one error to go with her career-high 25 kills, which came on a blazing .585 hitting percentage. The .585 hitting percentage marked the highest for a Bronco with at least 10 kills in a match so far this season.
 
Leah Richmond registered her seventh double-double, posting career highs in both assists (60) and digs (19). In addition to Brown's 25 kills, Richmond helped Mary Clare Brusek (15), Keely Culler (12) and Annalise Patchett (11) all reach double-figures as well.
 
Leading the back line defensively for the Brown and Gold was Elana Erickson, who notched a career-high 34 digs. In addition to Erickson and Richmond, Reeghan Boyer (24) and Ella Guilfoy (15) also collected career highs in digs. Carley Piercefield reached double-digit digs as well, picking up 11.
 
Western Michigan used a six-point run to break a 5-5 deadlock and open up an 11-5 advantage in the opening frame. With the margin at 11-7, the Broncos picked up five of the next six points to bump their lead up to 16-8. Green Bay closed the gap to as little as three in the late stages, but WMU held on to take the first set, 25-20.
 
Holding a 7-6 edge in the second, the Broncos put together an 8-2 stretch to increase their cushion to 15-8. The margin eventually grew as high as eight, 21-13, as WMU cruised to a 2-0 match advantage.
 
Green Bay seized the advantage early in the third, and built it up to 12-7. At 15-10, Western Michigan put together a 5-1 stretch to close to within one, 16-15, and followed that up moments later with four in a row to grab the lead, 19-18. The Phoenix moved back in front at 22-20, but WMU came right back with another four-point spurt to reach match point, 24-22. GB answered with four in a row of its own to steal the set, 26-24, and send the match into a fourth frame.
 
In the fourth, the Phoenix used a 4-1 stretch to open up a 13-10 edge. Trailing 18-14, the Broncos used an 8-2 surge to climb into the lead, 22-20. Western Michigan reached match point again at 24-22, but for the second consecutive set, Green Bay fought back to get even, and eventually took the set, 30-28, to force a decisive fifth.
 
Green Bay grabbed the first four points of the fifth frame. Trailing 6-2, WMU reeled off six of the next seven to move ahead, 8-7, as the teams swapped sides. After the hosts evened it back up at 8-8, Western Michigan tallied the next two points, only to see the Phoenix draw level again at 12-12. Brown had the answer for the Broncos, putting down her 24th and 25th kills of the night to put the visitors on the brink of victory one more time. This time, it went the way of the Brown and Gold, with a GB swing going out of bounds to seal the contest.  
 
Western Michigan continues play at Kendall's Battle at the Capital Credit Union Classic on Friday afternoon as it takes on Northern Iowa. First serve is scheduled for 4 pm.