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Patenaude
3
Winner Akron AKRON 1-0
2
Western Illinois WIU 0-1
Winner
Akron AKRON
1-0
3
Final
2
Western Illinois WIU
0-1
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Akron AKRON 25 25 23 21 15 (3)
Western Illinois WIU 19 10 25 25 6 (2)
0
Western Illinois WIU 0-2
3
Winner Bradley BRAD 1-1
Western Illinois WIU
0-2
0
Final
3
Bradley BRAD
1-1
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Western Illinois WIU 19 13 12 (0)
Bradley BRAD 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Volleyball Drops Season Openers to Akron, Bradley

Western looks to bounce back Saturday against Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Western Illinois volleyball team opened the 2016 season at the Pepsi Panther Invitational on August 26. After dropping the first two sets to Akron, the Leathernecks bounced back to take sets three and four before dropping set five. Western fell to Bradley in its second match of the day by a score of 3-0.

"I was really happy with the way our team responded this morning. Coming back and pushing that match to five was a good step in the right direction for us," said head coach Kelly Richardson, who is beginning her second year at the helm. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to carry that momentum into our afternoon match. That inconsistency is something we're going to have to continue working on. Having a more balanced performance from every position will be key as this young team works and grows together. We need to re-group and come out ready to go tomorrow afternoon."

MATCH ONE: AKRON 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 2
 
Western opened the Pepsi Panther Invitational and the 2016 season with a match against Akron. After dropping the first two sets, the Leathernecks battled to take sets three and four behind Melanie Patenaude's game-winning kills in both sets. The Purple and Gold were unable to secure the victory in the fifth set and ultimately dropped the match 3-2.

The Zips jumped out to an early 10-3 lead in the first set. Western worked to cut the deficit down to 12-8, but Akron held a seven-point advantage heading into the first timeout. The Leathernecks fought until the end and kept the Zips from converting on a 24-17 set opportunity following a combination block from Mackenzie Steckler and Lexi Kolschefski and a solo block from Shalyn Greenhaw. Akron was then able to capitalize on a Leatherneck error to take the set 25-19.
 
After dropping the second set by a 25-10 margin, Western rebounded and claimed the pivotal third set 25-23. From the start, the teams would trade points until the Zips used a 3-0 run to pull ahead. Western would respond with a 3-0 run of their own to take the lead, a run that was highlighted with a kill from Kolschefski and two Zip errors.
 
The sides continued to go back-and-forth until Akron took a timeout with the set tied a 19-19. Western came out of the timeout and quickly scored four unanswered points that included kills from Greenhaw and Kolschefski. The pair also teamed up for a block during the run that forced Akron to take a timeout. Akron cut their deficit to two following the timeout, but another kill from Greenhaw brought the Leatherneck lead to 24-22. Following a Leatherneck error that brought the score within one (24-23), Melanie Patenaude delivered the game-winning kill to give Western the set victory.
 
Western's momentum carried over into the fourth set where they claimed a 25-21 victory to force the deciding set. The fourth set started off much like the third with both sides exchanging points throughout most of the set. After falling behind 5-2 early, two Zip errors and a kill from Emilee Dechant tied the set at 5-5.
 
The Leathernecks then went on a 4-0 run highlighted by kills from Krishna Merriman and Kolschefski to force an Akron timeout with the Leathernecks leading 9-6. Both teams battled back-and-forth with Western holding the advantage until a 3-0 run by the Zips threatened the Leatherneck attack. Western held a 20-15 lead, but the Zips charged and cut their deficit to 23-20. Abby Skryd then assisted to Greenhaw for a kill to extend Western's lead before Patenaude delivered a kill for the final point, also assisted by Skryd to give the Leathernecks the win.
 
In the deciding set, Western was never able to gain any momentum as Akron claimed a 15-6 victory to take the match.
 
Greenhaw led Western's attack as she recorded a double-double with a team-high in kills (18) and digs (20). She also led Western with six blocks while Kolschefski had five. Skryd had 25 assists, followed by Hannah Walker who had 15 in her Leatherneck debut.

MATCH TWO: BRADLEY 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
 
In the first set, Bradley jumped out to an early 4-1 lead before Western responded with a 3-0 run led by a Brave error and back-to-back kills from Greenhaw.
 
The sides would exchange points until Bradley had a 3-0 run of their own to lead 10-6. Two attack errors from Bradley and a kill from Patenaude put the Leathernecks back within reach, 10-9.
 
It was all Braves after that as they charged ahead 22-16. Western would make one last push following another Patenaude kill and a service ace from Walker, but Bradley would take set one 25-19.
 
In set two, Bradley led 6-1 before back-to-back kills from Shiah Sanders and Shalyn Greenhaw, and an ace from Skryd cut Western's deficit to 6-4. The Braves would then go on a run before eventually sealing the set 25-13.
 
Western kept things close in the beginning of set three as Greenhaw, Kolschefski and Claire Grove each contributed with kills early on. However, Bradley was able to use a 3-0 run to pull ahead 14-7. The Leathernecks were unable to gain any traction during the last half of the set and ultimately fell 25-12.
 
Greenhaw led the team with 10 kills. Walker had 12 assists followed by Skryd with 11. Kaili Simmons had 15 digs.
 
The Purple and Gold look to bounce back tomorrow with a match against invitational hosts Milwaukee at 1 p.m.
 
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