TOLEDO, Ohio – The Western Michigan volleyball team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end on Friday night as it dropped a 3-1 decision (25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 25-20) at Toledo.
FINAL SCORE: Toledo 3, Western Michigan 1
LOCATION: Savage Arena (Toledo, Ohio)
RECORDS: Western Michigan (12-14, 9-4 MAC) | Toledo (18-7, 9-4)
Leah Richmond posted her third straight and 20th overall double-double of the season after collecting 43 assists and 14 digs. The redshirt freshman set up a pair of teammates for double-digit kills, with Mary Clare Brusek totaling a team-high 15 and Mia Jurkovic adding 10.
Defensively, Reeghan Boyer posted a team-leading 19 digs, with Carley Piercefield chipping in 11. Amanda Glanton led the way up front with six blocks.
Toledo got out to an early 9-5 edge in the first set. The Broncos answered with six of the next seven to move into the lead, 11-10. Tied at 12-12 a few moments later, Western Michigan ran off five straight points to build a 17-12 margin. Trailing 19-16, the Rockets used a 7-1 stretch to regain the advantage, 23-20. WMU closed the gap to one a couple of times late, but UT held off the Brown and Gold to claim the opening stanza, 25-23.
It was the Broncos who held the early edge in the second frame at 11-8. Toledo then used an 8-1 surge to climb into the lead, 16-12. WMU closed the gap to two, 19-17, but the Rockets then rattled off six of the next seven to take a 2-0 match advantage into the break.
In the third, Western Michigan had a five-point burst to move in front, 10-7. Holding an 11-9 edge, the Broncos put together a 7-2 run to boost their cushion to 18-11. UT countered with five in a row to ignite an 11-3 surge which put the home team ahead, 22-21. With the margin again at one, 23-22, the Brown and Gold got a crucial kill from Brusek to tie it. Following an error by the Rockets, Molly Brown then put one away to give WMU the frame, 25-23.
The Rockets held a 7-4 advantage in the early stages of the fourth, but the Broncos fought back to draw level at 12-12. The two teams proceeded to go back and forth until Toledo reeled off seven in a row to regain control, 22-16. Western Michigan got no closer than three for the remainder of the contest.
The Broncos and Rockets are scheduled to meet again on Saturday at 4 pm. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
