FORT WAYNE, IND. – The Western Illinois volleyball team started Summit League play Tuesday (Sept. 24) as they took on the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons falling in three (25-15, 25-14, 25-21).
On Monday (Sept. 25) the NCAA comes out with team and individual ranking. Finding herself among the national rankings was Western's Mackenzie Steckler recognized as sixth for total blocks and sixteenth in blocks per set.
No strangers to playing on the road the Leathernecks started strong with a block from Steckler and JoJo Kruize. Quickly followed by an ace from Summit Leader Jessie Connell. Western continued to gain points off of their block for the remainder of the set but were unable to take the set from the Mastodons.
The Mastodons using their momentum, WIUÂ found themselves in a hole at the beginning the second. Flipping the switch on the Purdue Fort Wayne Steckler fired back with two back-to-back blocks. Aiding in the effort with four kills in the second set, Mariah Mitchell made a major impact to combat the Purdue Fort Wayne lead.
Western with a powerful performance in the third takes off to an early lead with another Connell ace. The offense turning up the efficiency with the help of Aubrey Putman, Elle Shult, and Steckler WIU led in the first half of the set. With aces from Cassie Hunt and Putman, the Leathernecks held their largest lead of the match despite a large Mastodon run at the end of the game that won them the match.
The Leathernecks out-blocked the Mastodons through the entirety of the match. WIU finished the night with nine total blocks to Purdue Fort Wayne's five. Joining Steckler in the lead for blocks tonight were Mitchell and Shult all with 4 total blocks.
The Leathernecks will head to Brookings, S.D. on Sunday (Sep. 29) to take on South Dakota State. Western volleyball will be on the road for the next four matches and will return home Oct. 11 to face Omaha.
