KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team claimed a thrilling five-set victory (25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-8) victory over Central Michigan on Friday night to improve to 2-0 in MAC play.   
 
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Central Michigan 2
LOCATION: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (5-10, 2-0 MAC) | CMU (3-11, 0-2 MAC)
 
Leah Richmond made it six consecutive contests with a double-double, pacing the Broncos in both assists (49) and digs (18). Mary Clare Brusek once again led WMU in kills, hammering down 18 on a .350 hitting percentage. Also in double-figures for the Brown and Gold were Annalise Patchett (15), Molly Brown (11) and Mia Jurkovic (11).
 
Western Michigan equaled its season-best of 12 blocks for the second consecutive night, getting four apiece from Brusek, Richmond and Amanda Glanton. In addition to Richmond, Elana Erickson (15) and Carley Piercefield (13) also collected double-digit digs.
 
The two teams traded runs back and forth all night, starting in the first set, which featured 10 ties and six lead changes. With Central Michigan holding a 17-16 edge, the Broncos rattled off four in a row to move ahead, 20-17. At 21-20, Western Michigan used a three-point spurt to reach set point, 24-20. The visitors fended off three consecutive set points, but Patchett provided the decisive kill to give WMU the first frame, 25-23.  
 
Western Michigan used a 5-1 run to break a 9-9 deadlock and open up a 14-10 edge in the second set. The Chippewas countered with four straight as part of an 8-2 stretch to wrestle the lead away, 18-16. After WMU drew level at 20-20, Central Michigan responded with three in a row to climb back ahead, 23-20. The Broncos fought back to within a point twice, but CMU held on to even the contest at one set apiece.  
 
A 5-1 stretch helped the Brown and Gold turn an 8-6 deficit into an 11-9 advantage in the third. Central Michigan tied it up at 15-15, but WMU countered with a four-point burst to grab a 19-15 lead. Once again the visitors clawed their way back even, 22-22, but three of the last four went to the Broncos, with Brown providing two kills and combining with Jurkovic for a block to send the home team into the fourth with a 2-1 edge.
 
Tied 12-12 in the fourth, the Chippewas picked up three consecutive points to grab a 15-12 edge. A three-point run briefly got Western Michigan back level at 19-19, but CMU countered with three straight of its own to restore the three-point cushion, 22-19. After fighting off a pair of set points, WMU drew level again at 24-24, before Central Michigan then took the next two points to force a decisive fifth frame.
 
CMU picked up five of the first seven points in the fifth. Western Michigan then ripped off five in a row to move ahead and never looked back, going on a 13-3 run to close out the set and the match.  
 
Western Michigan hits the road for its next three contests, starting next Thursday, Oct. 2, with a trip down to Oxford, Ohio, to face Miami. First serve between the Broncos and RedHawks is slated for 6:30 pm.