Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – EKU lost to No. 20 Western Kentucky, 3-0, on Wednesday at McBrayer Arena.
 
WKU (16-1) won by scores of 25-16, 25-17 and 25-21.
 
Sarah Mitchell had a team-best 12 kills for the Colonels (5-14).  Sydney Schoen added 14 digs.
 
Lauren Matthews had a match-high 20 kills for the Hilltoppers.  She made just one error in 29 attacks for a .655 attack percentage.  Hallie Shelton had four aces and Nadia Dieudonne finished with 40 assists.
 
A 7-2 run midway through the first set allowed Western Kentucky to turn a four-point advantage into a nine-point lead, 19-10.
 
Despite falling behind 11-4 in the second set, the Colonels staged a mid-set rally.  A 10-5 run closed the gap to two, 16-14.  Back-to-back kills by Mitchell capped the run.  However, WKU scored four of the next five to move out in front by five, 20-15.
 
The Hilltoppers started fast again in the third set, jumping out to another 11-4 lead.  WKU led by nine, 18-9, on a kill by Katie Isenbarger.  The visitors had an eight-point advantage, 21-13, after a kill from Paige Briggs.  EKU answered with a late 6-1 run to get within three.  Kills by Molly Michalak and Audrey Eurton, and a Western Kentucky error, capped the spurt and made it 22-19.  Two more kills from Michalak kept the home team within three at 23-20 and 24-21, before a kill from Matthews finished off the match.
 
The Colonels take to the road this weekend for a pair of ASUN Conference matches.  EKU will play at Central Arkansas on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and at Lipscomb on Sunday at 3 p.m.