KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team dropped the first frame, but rallied back to win the next three for a four-set, Senior Day victory (18-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-17) over Bowling Green on Saturday.
FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 3, Bowling Green 1
LOCATION: University Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (16-9, 8-6 MAC) | Bowling Green (18-7, 10-4)
Gabby Weihe celebrated her Senior Day by putting down 12 kills without an error for a .571 hitting percentage. She was a force on the defensive end as well, narrowly missing out on a double-double by posting nine blocks, one shy of the career high she set on Tuesday at Eastern Michigan. Led by her nine rejections, Western Michigan racked up a season-high 14 blocks for the second straight contest. Weihe was honored after the match as WMU's lone senior.
Weihe was one of four Broncos to collect double-digit kills in the contest, with
Annalise Patchett leading the way with 15. Also in double-figures for Western Michigan were
Cassidy Pratley (11) and
Izzy Swiercz (10). The quartet was set up by
Leah Richmond, who handed out 48 assists and tied for the team lead 13 digs to pick up her team-leading 13th double-double. Swiercz (13) and Patchett (12) added double-digit digs to record double-doubles of their own.
Carley Piercefield also chipped in 13 digs for the Brown and Gold.
Bowling Green started fast, tallying the first four points of the match. At 10-7, the Falcons reeled off six straight points to extend their advantage to 16-7. Western Michigan fought back to within six at 24-18, but BGSU held on to claim the opening frame.
WMU picked up seven of the first 10 points in the second and then put together a 6-2 run to extend its lead out to 13-6. With the margin at 19-14, the Broncos used a 5-1 spurt to get to set point at 24-15, and then sealed the set with a block by Swiercz and Weihe.
In the third, the Brown and Gold used a 5-1 run to break a 10-10 deadlock and open up a 15-11 edge. BGSU worked its way back to within one at 17-16, but Western Michigan then rattled off eight of the next 10 points to grab the set, 25-18, and a 2-1 match lead.
The Broncos stormed out to a 13-3 advantage in the fourth set and never looked back, letting Bowling Green get no closer than six the rest of the way.
Western Michigan wraps up its 2026 home schedule next Friday, Nov. 13, as Miami visits University Arena for a 6 pm match. For tickets, visit
wmubroncos.com/tickets.
