Macomb, Ill- The Leatherneck Volleyball team won their fifth straight match tonight defeating UT Martin in a very close match that resulted in a four set win. The match was back-and-forth the whole way with every set decided by five points or less. With the win tonight, WIU is now 13-8 overall with a conference record of 7-3.
Keyana Cruse had another double-double leading the offense with a match-high 18 kills. Brittany Wulf added 14 kills and Elizabeth Ziegler added 9 kills. Defensively, Karli Wenzel had a team-high 18 digs and Julianna Schmidt had a team-high seven blocks.
In set one, the Leathernecks jumped out to an 8-3 lead to start the set behind three kills from Elizabeth Ziegler. The Skyhawks would respond with a 5-2 run to cut the WIU lead to 10-8. Later in the set, a 7-2 run by UT Martin would tie the set at 17. The two teams would trade the next four points evening the set at 19-19. Back-to-back blocks by the Leathernecks would spark a 4-2 run to put WIU in front by a score of 23-21. Julianna Schmidt's kill followed by a Schmidt block assist would help the Leathernecks secure the first set victory by a score of 25-22.
The start of set two was neck and neck. Keyana Cruse would have three straight kills early in the set tying the score twice. The set saw eight different ties with the last tie coming late in the set at 19-19. A kill by Grace Nichols and back-to-back kills by Brittany Wulf would be the dagger as the Leathernecks would go up 22-19 late in the set. Wulf would add two more kills giving WIU the set two victory by a score of 25-21.
In set three, UT Martin and WIU would combine to go on three different runs with the Skyhawks having two big runs to give them the set three victory. UT Martin started the third set on a 6-3 run. The Leathernecks would respond with an 8-2 run giving them the 11-8 advantage. During the run for WIU, Brittany Wulf had four kills and Karlie Lane would add a service ace. Trailing 18-15 late in set three, the Skyhawks would go on a 10-2 run to take the third set by a score of 25-20.
Similar to set three, UT Martin started set four on a 6-3 run. Following a service error by UT Martin, Karli Wenzel would get a service ace to cut the Skyhawk lead at 6-5. The rest of the set would be back-and-forth as the biggest lead during the set would be three. Trailing 14-13, WIU would get huge back-to-back kills from Keyana Cruse to put the Leathernecks up 15-14. WIU would hang on to the lead the rest of the set using a 3-0 run later in the set to put them up 19-16. During the run, Keyana Cruse and Brittany Wulf would get a kill and Elizabeth Ziegler and Julianna Schmidt would team up to get a block. The Leathernecks would end the fourth set on a 4-1 run with a kill from Julianna Schmidt and back-to-back kills by Keyana Cruse to end the set with a 25-23 victory and taking the match three sets to one.
UT Martin and Western Illinois will square off again tomorrow afternoon with first serve scheduled for 2 p.m. inside Western Hall.
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