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Western Illinois University Athletics

Claire Grove
WIU Visual Productions Center
3
Winner Valparaiso VALPO 6-5
0
Western Illinois WIU 5-7
Winner
Valparaiso VALPO
6-5
3
Final
0
Western Illinois WIU
5-7
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Valparaiso VALPO 25 25 25 (3)
Western Illinois WIU 22 23 19 (0)
3
Winner Drake DRAKE 10-3
0
Western Illinois WIU 5-8
Winner
Drake DRAKE
10-3
3
Final
0
Western Illinois WIU
5-8
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Drake DRAKE 25 25 25 (3)
Western Illinois WIU 18 15 13 (0)

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

Volleyball Drops Matches To Valpo and Drake

The Leathernecks look to bounce back Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. against McNeese

PHOTO GALLERY

MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois volleyball team fell to Valparaiso (7-5) and Drake (10-3) on Saturday, 3-0, 3-0. The Leathernecks went 0-2 in the first day of the Buffalo Wild Wings Invitational, a day that McNeese went 0-2 and Valparaiso and Drake each went 2-0.
 
GAME ONE:
 
Western found some momentum early in set one after being down 6-1 after back-to-back kills recorded by Mackenzie Steckler. Melanie Patenaude recorded ensuing quick kills to put the Leathernecks within striking distance. Western was able to pull within two points at 20-18, but the Crusaders outlasted the Leathernecks, 25-22.
 
In set two, the Leathernecks rebounded to the Crusaders first set early, keeping the Crusaders in check. With the scored knotted at six, Valpo was able to score three straight. Down 20-16, WIU tallied the next four out of five points, to pull within one. The Leathernecks could not rally as they fell 25-22.
 
The third set brought early success for Western, as the Purple and Gold jumped out to a 9-3 lead. Peyton McCarthy proved too much for Western, as she recorded four kills in the third set and the Crusaders took the set to win the match, 25-19.
 
Stecker recorded a team high 10 kills, hitting .368, while Claire Grove built on her Summit League best 220 digs with 18 in the match.
 
"Our first match we did a good job of executing things we talked about in practice. This match came down to unforced errors", said head coach Kelly Richardson. "We have to be able to clean up our serve receive errors and our missed serves. Between those two and blocking errors, those points add up to too many errors and when you are playing at this level, you cannot give up that many points. While it was frustrating, we really did see some good things in this match. At the end of the day we just have to take care of the ball."
 
GAME TWO:
 
The Leathernecks faced Drake in their second match of the day and fell 3-0. The Purple and Gold kept the early set close, in part to kills by Shiah Sanders and Emilee Dechant. Emma Norris recorded a kill and service ace back-to-back to pull the Leathernecks to within a point, 17-16. Drake was able to put away the last four points to take the match, 25-18.
 
The Bulldogs found momentum early after the first set and were able to ride it through the rest of the match. Western could not win the equalizer set and fell in the second set, 25-15. Abby Knoop was able to record three kills in her second outing of the season in the third set, a set the Bulldogs took 25-13.
 
Aleezah Washington logged four kills in the match while Grove added 12 digs.

"We have to do a better job of coming out strong, the same thing we have been talking about all season," said Richardson. "We have a hard time playing from behind, so we have to grab the momentum early and come out with confidence at the beginning of the match."
 
The Leathernecks look to bounce back Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. against McNeese to complete the Buffalo Wild Wings Invite.
   
 
 
 
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