Courtesy: Dennis Snyder
Broncos Ace Their Way to Win Over Kent State
KENT, Ohio - The Western Michigan volleyball team recorded a season-high 13 service aces on Friday, and the Broncos earned an important 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-20, 25-18) road victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes. With the victory, the Broncos improve to 14-8 overall, 7-2 in the Mid-American Conference.
The Broncos recorded 13 total aces against the Golden Flashes, with setter Terin Norris setting a career-high with five of those aces. Five different Broncos recorded aces, with four of them recording two or more aces over the course of four sets. Offensively, Jessica Brown led the Broncos with 13 kills and a .358 hitting percentage, while Ali Gossen recorded her third double-double of the year with 11 kills and 10 digs. Lena Oliver notched a team-high 24 digs.
The key to the match came when the Broncos took the all-important third set, swinging the momentum after dropping the second to the Golden Flashes. The Broncos opened the set on a 6-2 run, taking a 5-2 lead on a kill from Brown and expanding the lead on a Kent attack error. The Golden Flashes battled back and briefly took the lead, going ahead by as many as four points when a Morgan Semmelhack ace made it 17-13. Stephenee Yancy would get things going with a kill, and Norris would notch acces on three of the next four serves to put WMU ahead 18-17. Gossen recorded a kill to make things 23-19, and Brown would ice the set with a kill of her own to make it 25-20 and put WMU ahead 2-1 in the match.
The teams battled back and forth in a tight fourth set, but the Broncos got the upper hand when Gillian Asque recorded a kill to make it 13-12. Richelle Ranney expanded the lead with a kill on the next point, and Caroline Rose recorded back-to-back service aces to put the Broncos ahead 20-14. The lead expanded to seven points when Brown recorded a kill, and Norris put the Broncos at set point when she put away a set from Oliver to make it 24-17. Ranney would deliver the final blow with a kill, sending the Broncos to a 25-18 set win and a 3-1 match victory.
Neither team was able to get things rolling offensively in the first set, but the Broncos were better able to battle through the adversity and earn the win. The Golden Flashes led 14-8 at one point, but the Broncos would storm back to stun the home team and take advantage in the match. Gossen recorded a kill to make it 14-9 and spark a 9-0 run that gave the Broncos a 17-14 lead. Kent State briefly re-took the lead, but an attack error by the Golden Flashes but the Broncos on top 22-21. WMU wouldn't allow another point for hte rest of the set, with Asque finishing off the set with a kill to make it 25-21.
The Broncos recorded 13 total aces against the Golden Flashes, with setter Terin Norris setting a career-high with five of those aces. Five different Broncos recorded aces, with four of them recording two or more aces over the course of four sets. Offensively, Jessica Brown led the Broncos with 13 kills and a .358 hitting percentage, while Ali Gossen recorded her third double-double of the year with 11 kills and 10 digs. Lena Oliver notched a team-high 24 digs.
The key to the match came when the Broncos took the all-important third set, swinging the momentum after dropping the second to the Golden Flashes. The Broncos opened the set on a 6-2 run, taking a 5-2 lead on a kill from Brown and expanding the lead on a Kent attack error. The Golden Flashes battled back and briefly took the lead, going ahead by as many as four points when a Morgan Semmelhack ace made it 17-13. Stephenee Yancy would get things going with a kill, and Norris would notch acces on three of the next four serves to put WMU ahead 18-17. Gossen recorded a kill to make things 23-19, and Brown would ice the set with a kill of her own to make it 25-20 and put WMU ahead 2-1 in the match.
The teams battled back and forth in a tight fourth set, but the Broncos got the upper hand when Gillian Asque recorded a kill to make it 13-12. Richelle Ranney expanded the lead with a kill on the next point, and Caroline Rose recorded back-to-back service aces to put the Broncos ahead 20-14. The lead expanded to seven points when Brown recorded a kill, and Norris put the Broncos at set point when she put away a set from Oliver to make it 24-17. Ranney would deliver the final blow with a kill, sending the Broncos to a 25-18 set win and a 3-1 match victory.
Neither team was able to get things rolling offensively in the first set, but the Broncos were better able to battle through the adversity and earn the win. The Golden Flashes led 14-8 at one point, but the Broncos would storm back to stun the home team and take advantage in the match. Gossen recorded a kill to make it 14-9 and spark a 9-0 run that gave the Broncos a 17-14 lead. Kent State briefly re-took the lead, but an attack error by the Golden Flashes but the Broncos on top 22-21. WMU wouldn't allow another point for hte rest of the set, with Asque finishing off the set with a kill to make it 25-21.
