FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Western Michigan volleyball team bounced back from a difficult opening weekend to claim their first win of the 2015 season, taking a solid 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20) road win over the IPFW Mastodons at Arnie Ball Court on Tuesday. The win pushes the Broncos' record to 1-3 on the season.
Sierra Hubbard-Neil recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 kills and 12 digs, hitting .286 for the match and also contributing four blocks. Nicole Kinser continued her strong offensive start as a Bronco, posting a team-high 13 kills on 25 swings with just two errors for a .440 hitting percentage. The junior middle blocker also recorded six blocks. Hailey Knecht had another excellent start at the libero position, with the freshman defensive specialist digging 21 balls and helping to hold the Mastodons to a .122 hitting percentage.
The Broncos held the 'Dons to that miniscule hitting percentage thanks to 8.0 team blocks and a great night on the back row, digging 75 balls in four sets compared to just 63 digs by IPFW. Alysia Baznik was the third Bronco to break double-digits in digs, posting 17 on the evening. Freshman Mary Murphy dished out 49 assists and dug six balls.
WMU opened the first set on a terrific 7-1 run, with Kinser and Hubbard-Neil recording four kills in that rally and combining for a block for a fifth point. Murphy helped the Broncos win the race to 10 with a kill from the setter spot, and Kinser and Hubbard-Neil combined for a block of Sarah Heckman to make it 15-8. Kinser smashed another ball on the next point to double up on the Mastodons and force them into their first timeout. The Bronco advantage reached 12 points after an attack error by Natasha Medic made it 22-10 and the Mastodons cut the lead to five points late in the set, but Olivia Kofie and Sydney LeMay blocked Heckman to seal the 25-18 win.
The Mastodons edged out the Broncos 25-23 in the second set, pulling ahead after a 19-all tie and winning on a kill by Somer Johnson. WMU adjusted to the improved Mastodon attack, though, and came back from an early third-set deficit to take a 25-22 decision. Neither team could gain separation until the Broncos used a 5-1 run to make it 17-13. IPFW scored five straight points to take an 18-17 lead but the Broncos promptly tied it, and LeMay put the Broncos ahead 19-18 with a kill. Kofie tied the set at 22 with a kill and the Mastodons committed two straight errors to give WMU a 24-22 lead. Baznik did the rest, recording a kill to win the set.
The Broncos trailed 16-14 in the fourth set but followed with a 5-0 run that was bookended by kills from Hubbard-Neil. Murphy tipped a ball over the net to make it 21-17 in favor of the Broncos, and WMU scored four of the last seven points to close the set, wrapping with an ace by Murphy.
