KALMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team welcomed back some of the most memorable players in recent Bronco history, and the varsity squad defeated the Bronco Alumnae by a 3-1 (25-16, 22-25, 25-14, 25-19) score at the Student Recreation Center on Saturday. The match will be the final tune-up for the Broncos, who open the season at the Pepsi Panther Invitational hosted by Milwaukee on Aug. 28.

The accolades distributed among the alumnae in attendance were significant, with one former MAC Setter of the Year (Sam Viox Gagnon), one MAC Defensive Player of the Year (Lena Oliver), a three-time First Team All-MAC selection (Jessica Brown) and two players ranked in the top-10 in career kills (Ali Gossen and Allyson Doyle Bauman) dotting the line-up. Also in attendance were Claire Gerwig (2011-14) and Katharine Werme Hermsen (1985-88), who played in two and four NCAA Tournaments in their careers, respectively. Later in the match, members of the varsity team as well as the WMU men's volleyball club team jumped in with the alumnae.

Bronco fans were treated to their first look at the team's crop of six new players, with all of them contributing in some manner. Nicole Kinser posted nine kills and a .316 attack percentage, setter Mary Murphy dished out 33 assists and added seven kills of her own, and Hailey Knecht launched one of the Broncos' nine aces on the day. Alysia Baznik had a team-high 10 kills while Sierra Hubbard-Neil added six kills, five aces and 14 digs.

The first set was a runaway win for the Broncos, with WMU scoring four straight points for the win. Baznik had two of the four, including a bounce kill down the line to make it 25-16. The alumnae scrapped their way to a 25-22 decision in the second set, but the Broncos recovered quickly and delivered a 25-14 third set win on a block by Kinser and Olivia Kofie. Kinser was the one to deliver the match winner as well, smashing a pass from Murphy for a kill to end the fourth set 25-19.