Volleyball Broncos win third straight in three
Oct. 6, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- Three straight wins in three straight games. WMU's volleyball team defeated Bowling Green State University 15-11, 15-9, 16-14, on Friday night (Oct. 6) at University Arena. It was the Broncos' third consecutive win over a MAC opponent in straight sets, 3-0.
Western Michigan improved to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in the Mid-American Conference. All four of the Broncos' MAC wins were 3-0 victories, including road wins at Miami, Akron and Eastern Michigan.
With the loss, Bowling Green fell to 9-6 overall, 2-4 MAC. The Falcons had the conference's fourth-best record in 1999 (12-6) and advanced to the MAC tournament semi-finals.
Game one of Friday night's contest was a seesaw battle in which the lead exchanged hands five times. The Broncos scored the final five points to overcome an 11-10 deficit and earn the win. Western Michigan jumped out to a big lead early in game two, held off a brief rally by BGSU, and went on to the 2-0 game lead at the intermission.
The final game was the closest of the evening, with the score knotted several times. WMU was the first team to reach 13 and 14 points , but was unable to finish off the Falcons, who responded to tie the score both times. Each team sided out several times before the Broncos put the final two points on the 16-14 win.
Senior outside hitter Monyka Paul led WMU with 15 kills and tied for a team-high 12 digs. She had only two errors in 23 attempts (15-2-23) for a .565 hitting percentage. She also contributed four blocks, including one solo.
Senior defensive specialist Kelly Kuharski also had a team-high 12 digs and now has 116 for the season. Paul leads the Broncos for the season with 124.
Sophomore setter Ashley Ritter had an impressive night with 44 assists (14.7 assists-per-game), eight kills on 18 attempts, seven digs and three blocks. Ritter also scored twice on service aces.
Junior M'Myia McQuirter was the only other Bronco to join Paul in double figures for kills. She added 13 to her team-leading total of 171 for the season (3.64 kills-per-game). McQuirter also contributed three digs and three big solo blocks in the Bronco win.
Middle blocker Zakiya Pope, also a junior, came up one short of double figures in kills, with nine. She led the team with six blocks, including two solos, helping Western Michigan to a season-high 14 blocks as a team.
Sophomores Cindy Kizer and Angela Sillmon contributed eight and five digs, respectively. Kizer also had a service ace. Sillmon had four blocks, three kills and added two points on service aces.
As a team, the Broncos totaled more kills (55-50), more assists (53-49), more service aces (5-1), more digs (56-43) and more blocks (14-9) than their opponent.
WMU remains in action on its home court Saturday night, Oct. 7, with a 7 p.m. match versus Kent State. The first 500 fans to arrive at University Arena will receive a special "Bronco Autograph Book." The volleyball team will remain after the match to sign autographs.
For more information, visit the Broncos on the Web <www.wmubroncos.com>.
Media contact: Geoff Brown; 616 387-4138; geoffrey.brown@wmich.edu