@UNCBearsVB Defeats Western Michigan in Home Opener

Friday, September 4

Greeley, Colo.

7:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

2-2

Western Michigan

1-4

WMU

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Breelyn Bowe

9/4/2015 10:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Northern Colorado volleyball played its best match of the early season to defeat WMU

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo.—Northern Colorado volleyball returned home to Bank of Colorado Arena Friday night and in quality fashion, using a run of 24-6 stretching over two sets. The Bears took down Western Michigan in four sets (20-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-19).

"That wasn't the same team that we scouted on film this week. A lot of the things that they were good at on film they struggled with tonight, causing us to have to make a lot of in-match adjustments," head coach Lyndsey Oates said. "That can happen this early in the season and that had to do with how we came out in game one."

The Bears used a variety of weapons to defeat the Broncos with four different players recording double-digit kills. Senior Kendra Cunningham once again led the team in kills with 17, while teammates, Alex Kloehn (13), Timarie Nymeyer (11) and Katie Champion (10) joined her. Kloehn's 13 kills were a career high for the sophomore.

With all of the kills on the night, UNC recorded its top hitting percentage of the young season at .276. Three players hit above .300 during the match. Nymeyer led the team at .588, followed by Champion .450 and Kloehn .320.

"We are very deep this year and have many different options that we can bring off the bench. Timarie and Katie were starters at times last year and showed that tonight," Oates said about the team's depth. "While Kendra was herself again tonight setting the pace for the team."

It was not just Northern Colorado's offense that played well during the home opener, the defense also showed it's best performance of the season. After WMU took the first set with a .333 hitting percentage, the Bears held Western Michigan under .200 the rest of the match.

Meagan Garcia led the team with 17 digs, while Cunningham added in 12 to complete her third double-double of the season.

The key stretch during the match came in the second set, with WMU up 15-10. The Bears proceeded to close out the set on a 15-5 run. The run gained momentum when Garcia toed the service line. UNC rattled off four straight points to even the score at 18.

Northern Colorado went on to take the lead at 22-19 when Western Michigan took a timeout. Oates went to her bench after the timeout to bring in Kim Weissmann to serve. She didn't disappoint with tough serving and a kill to make it, 24-19. Klohen closed out the set with one of her 13 kills to even the match at one going into the break.

Northern Colorado came out of the break strong, starting the third set 9-1 to cap off their 24-6 run in the match. The Bears went on to win the third set 25-13, hitting .417 during it.

UNC capped off its first home win of the season taking the fourth set 25-19.

The team returns to Bank of Colorado Arena tomorrow night when they take on #15 Arizona State.

"It will be a very different match tomorrow night against Arizona State," Oates said. "They will not be as scrappy as Western Michigan and a more offensive team."

First serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm. with fans encouraged to wear white for a whiteout.