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Mackenzie Steckler

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

Leathernecks Drop League Opener to South Dakota

Shalyn Greenhaw logs 32 digs to lead the team

Vermillion, S.D.- Down 2-0, the Western Illinois volleyball team forced a fifth set but fell to South Dakota, 26-24, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20, 1510 Friday night in its first Summit League contest.
 
"We did a great job fighting all the way to the wire tonight. We had a tremendous defensive effort tonight which allowed us to stay in system offensively as well," said head coach Kelly Richardson. "We talk a lot about the kind of effort and toughness that needs to go into our play every time we step on the court, our kids exemplified that tonight. We look forward to getting back on the court tomorrow as we prepare for Oral Roberts."
 
In the first set, the Leathernecks jumped out to a 5-2 lead, but the Coyotes found a battled back to force the set into a tie at eight a piece. Western was able to push the lead to 22-19, the largest point differential in the set. The Coyotes pieced together the last four out of five points to take the set, 26-25.
 
The Purple and Gold kept it close in the second set, leading 8-7 early, led by a Mackenzie Steckler kill and a Jaime Johnson ace. The Leathernecks won five straight points, to make it 13-10 Wester, but the Coyotes rallied and eventually picked up the set 25-20.
 
There was no quit in Western, as the Leathernecks rallied and were able to win the third set, 25-19. Western came out early, 3-0, and never looked back. Western never trailed in the set, thanks to kills by Steckler, Melanie Patenaude and Shalyn Greenhaw. Back-to-back Patenaude kills finished the set for the Purple and Gold.
 
The fourth set saw much of the same for the Leathernecks, as Western rode the momentum gained in the third set and again never trailed in the fourth set. Steckler led Western as four kills in the set. The Coyotes could not recover or find traction and Western put South Dakota away to force a decisive fifth set.
 
In the fifth set, the Leathernecks again gained the lead quick, 2-1, but South Dakota answered and eventually went up 10-8. The Coyotes won the last three points and won the set, 15-10.
 
Steckler led the match with 19 kills, while Greehaw added 12 and Patenaude recorded 10. Greenhaw recorded a season high 32 digs in the match, good for another double-double. Claire Grove added another 15 digs.
 
The Leathernecks look to bounce back against Oral Roberts on Sept. 24 on the road. First serve is set for 1 p.m.  
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