ATHENS, Ohio – Ali Gossen recorded a team-high 13 kills and hit .333 and Sierra Hubbard-Neil recorded a career-high 29 digs, but it was not enough for the Western Michigan volleyball team to overcome the first place team in the Mid-American Conference as the Broncos fell 3-1 (16-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-14) to the Ohio Bobcats at the Convocation Center on Friday. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 15-9 on the season, 6-3 in MAC play.
Gossen was the offensive star for the Broncos on Friday, leading the team with 13 kills while also notching a team-best .333 hitting percentage. The redshirt senior has been strong in her first two matches of the weekend, averaging 3.62 kills per set and hitting .359 against IPFW on Tuesday and the Bobcats on Friday. Hubbard-Neil notched her best night of the year since making the transition to libero early in the season, putting up the match-high with 29 digs. Sydney LeMay contributed a team-high four blocks.
The highlight of the night for WMU was the third set, when they held off a late rally by the Bobcats to take the set win and cut Ohio's lead to 2-1 in the match. The Broncos opened the set on a 7-2 run that was punctuated by a kill from Gossen. Ohio roared back and pulled to within 8-6 thanks to a Kelly Lamberti service ace, but Mikaela Ryshytylo responded with a kill to keep the 'Cats on the defensive. Alysia Baznik stopped another Bobcat rally later in the set with a kill to make it 17-15 after Ohio scored three straight to pull within one point.
Ohio pulled closer late in the set thanks to another ace by Lamberti and trailed just 21-19 after a Karin Bull kill, but a series of Bobcat errors kept WMU in the lead. Baznik forced set point at 24-21 with a kill, and freshman Olivia Kofie launched a service ace on the next point to help the Broncos to a 25-21 set win.
The Bobcats responded quickly in the fourth set, jumping out to an 8-1 lead and maintaining control throughout the final game. Abby Gilleland finished off the match with a kill, giving Ohio a 25-14 set win and the overall match.
WMU will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 25 when they face Kent State at 7 p.m.
