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Western Illinois University Athletics

WIU Volleyball
1
Tennessee St. TSU 2-24,2-14 OVC
3
Winner Western Ill. WIU 9-18,8-8 OVC
Tennessee St. TSU
2-24,2-14 OVC
1
Final
3
Western Ill. WIU
9-18,8-8 OVC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Tennessee St. TSU 17 25 26 23 (1)
Western Ill. WIU 25 23 28 25 (3)

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

Leathernecks Take Home Senior Day Victory

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois volleyball completed the weekend sweep of Tennessee State with a four-set victory on Senior Day inside Western Hall. WIU picks up conference win number eight in conference play as they move to 8-8.

SET 1
The Leathernecks came out on fire to start set one. Graduate student Annika Black started her last game inside Western Hall with a kill. Grace Kremer followed it up with an ace, and Kennedy Bauer picked up her first kill on senior day, giving WIU an early 3-0 lead. Western Illinois would continue their lead throughout the first set as kills by Julianna Schmidt and Keyana Cruse pushed WIU in front 7-2. Kaitlyn Wickersheim got it down from the service line before the media timeout with back-to-back service aces, giving WIU a 15-9 lead. The Leathernecks did not slow down as the Leathernecks controlled and took set one 25-17.

SET 2
WIU found themselves down 5-2 before Cruse would find her first kill of the second set. The Tigers held a four-point advantage at 9-5 before Bauer found the floor for a kill. After the kill, it was Wickersheim's turn again. Three service aces in five points brought WIU in front 11-9. Schmidt would add one more point for the Leathernecks as they went on a 7-0 run. TSU responded with a 5-2 run to head into the media timeout 15-14. WIU would pull back in front 16-15 after a block by Black and Kremer. Kremer would then join Cruse for a block on the next point, doubling WIU's advantage. TSU had a response again in the set as a 5-2 run put them in the driver seat 21-20. WIU would battle back to take a 22-21 lead, but the Tigers used a late run, taking set two 25-23.

SET 3
Western Illinois was on the ropes early in set three as TSU opened a 7-3 lead. Cruse had a kill and an ace, bringing WIU within three (9-6). TSU would hold an advantage through the middle phase of set three, extending their lead to as many as five at 16-11. Down 19-15, WIU started to mount a comeback. An ace by Cruse and then back-to-back kills by Bauer put WIU within one at 19-18. Down 24-22, Western Illinois used an attack error and a kill by Cruse to put things all square at 24. The Leathernecks would return to Cruse three more times as they took set three 28-26.

SET 4
Tennessee State jumped in front once again in the fourth set. Down 4-1, two attack errors, and a Grace Ulatowski service ace tied the set at four. Both teams would stay neck and neck with ties up to 12-12. Julianna Schmidt and Kennedy Bauer would both have kills as WIU saw themselves ahead 16-14. Ahead 18-15, TSU used a 3-0 run to tie the set at 18 a piece. Both teams traded the following four points as the score was tied at 20. A ball-handling error and a kill from Bauer saw WIU ahead 22-20, forcing a TSU timeout. Tennessee State would cut the deficit out of the break to one at 23-22 and 24-23, but WIU headed back to Cruse for the game-ending kill as WIU took set four 25-23.

Keyana Cruse led the Leathernecks with 17 kills. Senior Kennedy Bauer ended her last game inside Western Hall with an 11-kill performance. Cruse also led the Leathernecks with 14 digs to complete the double-double. Maggie Craker also had a double-double, dishing out 40 assists and digging up 13 balls. Kaitlyn Wickersheim had five of WIU's 14 service aces on the day. The Leathernecks totaled ten team blocks compared to Tennessee State's seven.

The Leathernecks will head east to finish the season against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 15-16. WIU will look to lock up a spot in the conference tournament for the first time in ten years.
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