KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) recorded 14 kills and collected 18 points but the Northern Illinois University volleyball team fell to Western Michigan in its Mid-American Conference opener, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-13, on Thursday night at University Arena. Junior Autumn Martin (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) had a career-high nine kills. 

"In the fourth set, we took a break and (Western Michigan) took advantage of early plays and got out to a big lead," said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. "In the other three sets we just battled. We stayed close with them, or were a little bit ahead of them, but some tough plays at critical times we weren't able to turn." 

Wolowicz and Martin each recorded four kills as the Huskies took the opening set, 25-23. A 4-0 Huskie run with the set tied, 13-13, gave NIU a four-point cushion; Martin had two kills during the burst. With the Huskies leading 19-15, Western Michigan answered with four-straight to even the set at 19. NIU scored five of the next seven and went on to clinch the set on a kill by Wolowicz.

Martin hit .800 in the opening set, Wolowicz hit .375 as NIU recorded 14 kills and hit .235 as a team.

The second set was tied, 12-12, when Western Michigan used a 4-0 spurt to take a 16-12 advantage. The Broncos lead was five, 23-18, until NIU scored four of the next five points to trim the Western Michigan lead to just a pair. The Broncos were able to respond with a kill from Kaley Smith to clinch the second set, 25-22. 

Western Michigan had 15 kills in the second set, led by four from Sydney LeMay; Wolowicz had four kills to pace the Huskies in the set. 

NIU had a three-point lead in the third set until an 8-1 run gave Western Michigan a 17-13 lead. The Bronco advantage reached 22-16 until NIU scored seven of the next eight points to even the set, 23-23. Wolowicz had a pair of kills during the run and senior Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) had a service ace. Western Michigan was able get a sideout, followed by an error by NIU, to take the third set, 25-23. 

Brereton finished the set with seven digs on her way to a match-high 20; Wolowicz had five kills in the third set. Western Michigan tallied 16 kills in the third set, including six from LeMay. 

In the fourth set, Western Michigan raced out to a 10-1 lead and held the Huskies off from there, taking the final set 25-13 to win the match in four. The Broncos hit .355 in the final set with 13 kills and just two errors.

LeMay paced Western Michigan with 18 kills in the match, hitting .361; LeMay also added eight blocks, including six solo. Rachel Bontrager chipped in 14 kills for the Broncos. 

NIU will finish its weekend road trip on Saturday, Sept. 23, when the Huskies visit Bowling Green. First serve against the Falcons is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.