KANSAS CITY, Mo. ? Senior Amy Sauerwein recorded 15 kills and a season-high 25 digs for the Western Illinois volleyball team in its second-straight Summit League victory of the 2007 season. Western defeated UMKC, 3-2 (30-27, 30-19, 22-30, 25-30, 15-7) at Swinney Recreation Center.

The Belleville, Ill., native also added three blocks, one service ace, and recorded a .333 (15k-1e-42ta) hitting percentage. Senior Ashley Baker also tallied double-digit kills for the Westerwinds (5-8, 2-0 The Summit League), garnering 11 and adding 16 digs, and three service aces.

“A win is a win and I'm glad that the fifth-game was not our typical two-point game five,” said ahead coach Kym McKay. “I was impressed that we were able to battled out in the beginning and close it out quick, but I was disappointed that we were in a game-five again.”

The fifth game started with a familiar run for the Westerwinds, as the team jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. The Kangaroos (3-13, 0-2 The Summit League) then went on a two-point run. UMKC tied the deciding game at five and the match remained tight until Western started an eight-point run at a 7-7 tie to run to victory.

Game one started with a battle for the lead, with no team going ahead by more than two points until Western took a 17-14 advantage. The Kangaroos fought back to tie the game at 23. Seniors Michelle Donnell and Sauerwein were the sparks that broke the tie when they recorded a block to give Western a 25-24 lead and start a three-point run that was enough to earn the first game victory.

The Westerwinds started out game two with a 4-0 run before the Kangaroos tied the game at six. Both teams then battled for the lead until Western went on an eight-point run when the score was tied at 13. UMKC then went on a four-point run of its own, but it was not enough to take the game away from the Westerwinds.

Western started out game three with another four-point run, but it was short lived as the Kangaroos went on a three-point run of their own to close the gap to one. The teams battled for the lead from that point until UMKC took a six-point advantage to go up 15-9. Western closed the gap to within two points, but it was not enough as the Kangaroos pulled back out to lead by as many as eight points.

UMKC took an early 5-2 lead in game four before Western tied the game at six. The Kangaroos went on a four-point run that was enough to force the Westerwinds to a fifth-straight game five. Western rallied to get back within two points six times during the remainder of the game, but could not get any closer.

The difference between the first two games and the second two was hitting percentage and blocking. Western recorded hitting percentages of .191 and .146 in games one and two, but then tallied only a -.042 and .047 mark in the next two games. The Westerwinds were tied with the Kangaroos on the blocking charts through game two, but then were out-blocked 6-1 in the third game.

“UMKC played well,” McKay said. “Going into game five we made a lot of adjustments that helped us out. Physically we are doing what we need to do, but we need to get the mental toughness to be successful in the conference schedule.”

Western's defense was key to the game five victory as they allowed the Kangaroos to record a -.391 mark to the Westerwinds .071. Two keys to the victory were service errors and digs, as Western had the advantage in both categories. The Westerwinds tallied 106 digs to UMKC's 94 and garnered only nine service errors to the Kangaroos' 15.

Western will now have almost a week off before playing in its next match. The Westerwinds will travel to South Dakota State, Friday, September 28 at 7 p.m. and then face North Dakota State, Saturday, September 29 at 6 p.m.

“We let too many opportunities slip by tonight,” said McKay. “Going into North Dakota State and South Dakota State next week our level of play and mental toughness will have to improve if we want to be successful.”

Notes: Western had three players record double-doubles...Baker and Sauerwein tallied double-digit kills and digs, while junior Sarah Trimpe garnered more than 10 digs and assists...this was the fifth-straight game that Baker tallied a double-double, as well as the fifth-straight five-game match for the Westerwinds...both of Western's conference matches have gone to five-games in the 2007 season.