West Central Reporter

Macomb, Ill- The Western Illinois University (WIU) Leatherneck Volleyball team secured a victory against UT Martin in a closely contested match. The game concluded with WIU winning three sets to one, marking their fifth consecutive win. This victory brings the Leathernecks' overall record to 13-8 and their conference record to 7-3.

Keyana Cruse led the offense with a match-high of 18 kills, achieving another double-double. Brittany Wulf contributed 14 kills, while Elizabeth Ziegler added nine. On defense, Karli Wenzel recorded a team-high of 18 digs and Julianna Schmidt achieved seven blocks.

In the first set, WIU took an early lead of 8-3, with Elizabeth Ziegler contributing three kills. UT Martin responded with a run that tied the set at 17. However, back-to-back blocks by WIU led to a 4-2 run that secured the set for them at 25-22.

The second set was closely contested with multiple ties. Keyana Cruse's three consecutive kills were crucial in maintaining parity early on. Late in the set, Grace Nichols and Brittany Wulf's efforts helped secure a win for WIU at 25-21.

UT Martin gained momentum in the third set, starting with a 6-3 run and eventually winning it by 25-20 after a significant comeback late in the set.

The fourth set mirrored the third as UT Martin began strongly but couldn't maintain their lead. Keyana Cruse's critical back-to-back kills helped WIU regain control and eventually win the set at 25-23, concluding the match.

The two teams are scheduled to face each other again tomorrow afternoon at Western Hall.

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