KALAMAZOO, MI – The Wright State volleyball team saw
Sam Ott record a career-high 24 kills to lead the Raiders to a four-set victory over tournament host Western Michigan Friday night in the Raiders second win of the day.
Wright State closes out action at the Western Michigan Invitational on Saturday afternoon against Indiana State.
Saturday, September 3 - vs. Indiana State - 12 p.m. - Watch - Live Stats
Wright State (4-0) took the opening set 25-14 before winning a frantic, back-and-forth 33-31 second set. Western Michigan (2-2) rallied momentarily with a 25-23 third set victory before the Raiders closed the night with a 25-22 fourth set win.
The Raiders tallied a .313 team hitting percentage while holding Western Michigan to just a .193 mark. Ott finished with a personal .362 mark with just three attacking errors on the way to her 24 kills, as she finished with a double-double after adding 14 digs.
Megan Alders (11) and
Aaliyah Byers (10) also had double-digit kills, while
Callie Martin and
Taylor Bransfield both finished with nine kills in the win.
Jenna Story had two of Wright State's three service aces while adding a season-high 32 digs defensively, while the offense ran through
Lainey Stephenson's 54 assists, her second match with 50-plus assists this year.
SET ONE
Wright State rolled in the opening set, using a 4-0 run early to push out to a 10-4 advantage. The Raiders doubled up Western Michigan at 14-7 on a Bransfield kill then used an Alders kill and back-to-back Western Michigan attacking errors to hit 18-8. Wright State finished off the set with four of the final six points thanks to a pair of Bransfield kills and two attacking errors.
SET TWO
The wildest set of the night, both sides traded points throughout, with neither able to go on a prolonged run. The Raiders used a three-point spurt to take a 23-22 advantage, only to see the sides alternate the next three points. Following seven set point opportunities, a nearly one-minute long rally ensued that the Raiders ultimately won the point on thanks to a Stephenson dump kill that pushed them to set point for the eighth time. Wright State closed the set moments later via a Western Michigan attacking error.
SET THREE
Another back-and-forth set, neither side had more than a two-point advantage early, with the Raiders using a pair of Western Michigan attacking errors to tie the set at 16-all. Western Michigan then scored six of the next eight points to take a 22-18 lead. The Raiders had a quick, 4-1 run of their own to pull to within one at 23-22, but the hosts closed the set moments later on a pair of kills.
SET FOUR
An early three-point run gave Western Michigan early breathing room before the Raiders pulled even at 10-all thanks to a 3-0 run of their own. Back-and-forth throughout the next 10 points, Western Michigan took a 21-20 lead on a kill before Wright State closed the set and the match on a 5-1 run behind a pair kills from Ott that bookended a trio of attacking errors by the hosts.