KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Western Illinois volleyball
team rallied back from a first set defeat to capture a comfortable 3-1 road win (22-25,
25-22, 25-20, 25-21) over UMKC Friday night (Sept. 30). The Fighting Leathernecks picked
up their second conference win of the season and first victory in Kansas City,
Mo. since the 2007 campaign.
Western Illinois (9-7, 2-4 Summit League) recorded a
season-high 15 total blocks against UMKC (6-9, 0-5 Summit League). The 15 total
team blocks is the highest since 14 on Oct. 9, 2009 at IPFW.
Aside from Western's huge advantage in blocks
(15-7), the match was statistically even throughout. UMKC outhit Western 53-52
in kills while the Fighting Leathernecks held advantages in assists (52-49),
service aces (5-4) and digs (76-75). However Western forced 33 UMKC attack
errors while the Fighting Leathernecks only committed 22 hitting errors.
“It was a true team effort tonight as we had various players come off the bench and contribute," said head coach Kym McKay following her 105th career win at Western Illinois. "Megan (Toczek) and Brooke (Stittleburg) provided us with the defensive boost we needed after a sluggish game one. Samantha (Fournier) and Katie (Hosteng) had strong offensive performances to finish the match. Cait (Egan) was steady throughout the match and had smart kills at the right times. Our blocking was a pleasant surprise tonight and was needed against a senior laden UMKC team that can be physical offensively.”
Freshman Ann Miller collected her team-high tenth
double-double of the season with 14 kills and 10 digs. Miller also picked up a
season-high three service aces and tied a season-high with three total blocks.
Senior Cait Egan co-led the Leathernecks with 14
kills on 30 attempts for a stellar .400 attack percentage. Egan also collected
five total blocks and moved into a tie with Stephanie Biswell (1991-95) for
seventh place all-time in program history with 238 career block assists.
Sophomore Sarah Fetter dished out a
match-high 44 assists for her fifth 40-plus assist performance this season.
Fetter also had a season-high 16 digs to record her third double-double of the
2011 campaign.
Junior Bridget Murphy led the defensive effort once again
with 22 digs. It is her fifth straight 20-plus dig performance and eighth overall
this season. Murphy needs just 15 more digs to become the 11th player in
program history to compile 1,000 career digs.
Junior Katie Hosteng was active in the front row
with nine kills and three blocks while senior Brooke Stittleburg picked up 15
digs for her fourth double-digit effort of the season.
Freshman Mallory Gibson set a Western Illinois
season-high with nine total blocks (one solo and eight assist) to go along with
four kills. Gibson has started the last five matches and is averaging a robust 1.24 blocks per set this season. Fellow freshman Molly Murphy compiled nine digs to go along with
her team-high 26th service ace of the season.
Western Illinois has Saturday off for travel and
continues Summit League play Sunday (Oct. 2) against South Dakota. First serve
with the Coyotes is set for 2 p.m. CT inside the DakotaDome. South Dakota lost to
IUPUI in four sets at home Friday night and is 8-8 overall in its first year in
The Summit League.
