KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan volleyball team battled throughout the evening in their first true home match of the year, but the Broncos ultimately fell by a 3-0 (19-25, 23-25, 18-25) score to the Northern Illinois Huskies on Thursday. WMU drops to 7-13 overall and 3-2 in Mid-American Conference play with the loss.
Alysia Baznik recorded her fifth double-double of the season, recording 12 kills on 26 swings with just one error for a .423 hitting percentage while also contributing 11 digs on the evening. She now has 34 such performances in her career, the fourth-best total in program history. Sydney LeMay was also dominant offensively, posting 10 kills on 21 attempts with two errors for a .381 hitting percentage. Hailey Knecht had a team-high 12 digs on the evening, and LeMay recorded two blocks.
The Huskies jumped out to a quick lead in the first set but the Broncos settled in and fought back, coming back from an 8-3 deficit to tie it up late in the frame. Bailey Schnell bounced a kill out of a timeout to get things rolling, and Olivia Kofie recorded her first of two aces on the evening to make it just a 10-7 score. LeMay cut the deficit to 13-11 with a kill, and Mikaela Ryshytylo added one two points later to make it just 14-12. LeMay and Baznik combined for a block of Lauren Zielinski to cut it to 17-16 and Taylor Krage committed an error on the next point to knot things up. NIU rebounded from there, scoring eight of the final 10 points to complete a 25-19 decision.
WMU got off to a stronger start in the second set, scoring the first point off a Ryshytylo kill and leading 10-9 at one point thanks to a bad set by Alexis Gonzalez. The Huskies went on an 8-3 run to take a 17-13 lead but the Broncos continued to fight and eventually cut the deficit to a slim two points. Ryshytylo staved off set point with a kill to make it 23-18 and Baznik fought off elimination with a kill of her own to make it 24-20. Baznik fired again to make it 24-22 but the Huskies eventually took the set win on a Bronco service error.
The Broncos took the lead midway through the third set to keep things interesting, with Baznik putting them ahead 12-11 with a kill and Kofie adding on with an ace on the next point. Ryshytylo made it 14-13 with a kill but the Huskies countered, taking a 19-15 lead on a block of Baznik and going up 23-19 after a WMU attack error. Meg Wolowicz wrapped up the set and the match with a kill at 25-18.
