West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University (WIU) volleyball faced a challenging match against Southeast Missouri State (SEMO), falling in four sets on Saturday night. The game, held in Macomb, Illinois, saw the Leathernecks fight hard but ultimately lose momentum as their conference record shifted to 6-8.

In the first set, WIU started strong with Karli Wenzel's service ace and Grace Kremer's kill leading an early 3-0 run. Despite maintaining a lead for much of the set, SEMO closed the gap and eventually won 25-22 after a decisive 4-0 run.

The second set saw WIU rebound, taking advantage of kills by Grace Nichols and Keyana Cruse to secure an 11-7 lead. Maintaining pressure, they finished with a 25-20 win thanks to contributions from Cruse and Kremer.

Set three was marked by its competitive nature with seventeen ties and seven lead changes. Though WIU initially gained a slight edge following Kaitlyn Wickersheim’s service ace, SEMO clinched the set 25-22 after closing with a 5-2 run.

In the final set, WIU struggled against SEMO's early dominance. After falling behind 16-6 due to an 8-0 SEMO run, WIU attempted to rally but succumbed to a 25-14 defeat.

Offensively, Cruse led WIU with eight kills while Nichols and Kremer each added seven. Wenzel topped digs with 25, followed by Cruse's 18 and Grace Ulatowski's 15. Despite out-blocking SEMO for the second consecutive night at 13-5 and achieving eight service aces overall, it wasn't enough for WIU to secure victory.