West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University secured a victory against UT Martin in a volleyball match on Friday night. The Leathernecks achieved a straight-set win, enhancing their record to 5-2 in Ohio Valley play and 6-11 overall.

In the first set, WIU initially fell behind but managed to recover. Julianna Schmidt's solo block was pivotal in narrowing the gap early on. Despite UT Martin's efforts to extend their lead, WIU responded effectively after a timeout. Keyana Cruse and Grace Kremer contributed with crucial kills, helping the team edge ahead at 23-22. Annika Black and Kremer combined for a decisive block, leading to a 25-23 set win for WIU.

The second set saw both teams trading points initially. A series of plays by Schmidt and Brittany Wulf helped WIU gain an advantage. Although UT Martin tied the score at 18, Cruse's kill restored WIU's lead. The teams continued exchanging points until Schmidt’s back-to-back kills secured a narrow 28-26 victory for WIU.

WIU maintained momentum into the third set, quickly overcoming an initial deficit. Cruse led with three consecutive kills, followed by Wulf’s contribution that prompted a UT Martin timeout at 11-6. An impressive run featuring service aces from Karli Wenzel and multiple attack errors by UT Martin extended WIU’s lead significantly. Ultimately, WIU clinched the final set with a score of 25-15.

Keyana Cruse topped the scoresheet with nine kills for WIU, while Brittany Wulf and Julianna Schmidt added eight and seven kills respectively. Maggie Craker provided 25 assists during the match. Defensively, Karli Wenzel and Kaitlyn Wickersheim recorded significant digs with totals of 17 and 15 each.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.