KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Out of state once again, Western Illinois volleyball (0-6, 0-5) took on Kansas City (4-1, 4-1) in a weekend match that remained tightly-played for its entire duration. The Leathernecks put up a great fight all evening long but fell in five sets (23-25, 26-24, 25-22, 22-25, 11-15).
Five straight errors from the Roos helped allow Western to put together a 17-12 lead in set one. KC later rejected a pair of Leatherneck attempts and found a way to cut things down, 19-17. Two more team errors gave Western a 21-18 advantage. Aubrey Putman set up Mariah Mitchell for a strong kill afterward, but a sudden 6-0 run by KC finished the set in a 25-23 comeback win for the Roos.
Neither team had a chance to get comfortable in the second outing. After six ties, Emma Norris struck home a kill to grow WIU's lead to 23-20. However, an attacking error from the Leathernecks again saw the score even; all at 24. A service error proved costly for KC, and Mitchell hammered a kill to finish the set, 26-24.
KC started up 10-4 in the third frame before Helaina Hillyard and Putman helped get Western functioning. The Leathernecks cut into the lead, 15-10, on three straight scores prior to a timeout. A block from Peyton Bowman initiated a WIU 3-0 run, and the junior then netted three consecutive service aces. After tying the score at 21, Mitchell caught fire to throw down four more kills as Western won 25-22 in the third. The Leathernecks trailed 18-11 at one point.
Six straight points quickly went to WIU once the fourth unfolded. A 6-1 Roos run was answered with a Putman service ace, and play remained close once again for ensuing possessions. WIU created a bit of free room, but KC embarked on a 5-0 finish to close out set four, 25-22.
Mitchell started set five with back-to-back kills, and a smart tip by Norris had the score tied at four. KC scored three straight on two more occasions, but the Leathernecks would refuse to go down quietly. Hillyard cut the Roos' lead to 10-9. Still, the host found success in a final 5-2 push to win the night.
Mitchell paced the attacking offense with 19 kills. Norris also ended in double-figures for kills (11) while adding 16 digs. This line gave her a first double-double performance of 2020-21. Cassie Hunt and Gabby DePersio both finished with 19 digs, which was a season-high for the former. Additionally, Hunt chipped in a team-high 45 assists for her second straight double-double. Putman narrowly missed out on totaling her own double-double: nine kills and ten digs.
Western out-dug KC 80-71 - marking the fourth time against an opponent this season. The Leathernecks also had more aces (7-4) and tied in blocks (9).
The series gets right back into play tomorrow afternoon. The first serve is set for 4 p.m. on the Roos' home floor.
