Western Michigan Volleyball Travels to Face Ohio and Kent State

The Western Michigan volleyball team is packing its bags for a three-match road trip, kicking off an intensive weekend swing through the Buckeye State with matches in Ohio and Kent.

Opening the Ohio Swing in Athens and Kent

According to wmubroncos.com, the Broncos are set to battle Ohio on Friday evening in Athens before visiting Kent State on Saturday. The team enters the weekend holding a 6-6 record away from home this season, looking to build momentum as the conference schedule heats up.

The historical matchups favor the Brown and Gold on paper, though recent history suggests tightly contested battles. Western Michigan carries a 38-27-1 all-time advantage into Friday’s contest against Ohio, following a pair of four-set contests that wrapped up the regular season in Athens last year. Saturday brings a 45-16 historical lead over Kent State, alongside an eight-match win streak against the Golden Flashes.

Back-to-Back Battles and Recent Standings

The road trip follows a 3-1 homestand in Kalamazoo, where the Broncos split a pair of matches against Buffalo. During that series, Leah Richmond orchestrated an offense that hit .295 overall. Richmond paced the squad with 68 total assists—averaging 8.50 per set—and anchored the back row with 36 digs, securing a pair of double-doubles in the process.

𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞The Golden Flashes are on the road this week as they face Western Michigan this Saturday! ⚡️#GoFlashes⚡️ | #HAB1TS pic.twitter.com/INzpytCXzp

— https://x.com/KentStFootball/status/2107111349906247906

Meanwhile, Gabby Weihe put on a high-efficiency clinic at the net against Buffalo, hammering down 22 kills at a blistering .422 hitting percentage. Those performances underscore a broader trend for Western Michigan this season: balanced distribution. Six different Broncos have notched double-digit kills at least once, while five players currently average upwards of 2.05 kills per set.

Milestones and Team Offense

The offensive engine runs largely through Richmond, who recently eclipsed 2,000 career assists during Saturday’s match against Buffalo. The redshirt sophomore leads the MAC and ranks 44th nationally in NCAA Division I with an average of 10.17 assists per set. Thanks to her steady distribution, Western Michigan sits 39th in the country with a .258 team hitting percentage, leading the league with a .262 mark in conference play.

Annalise Patchett leads the attack with 3.19 kills per set overall—a mark she has bumped to 3.36 in MAC play—while Weihe maintains a .393 hitting percentage that ranks third in the league and 37th nationwide.

Double-Double Depth on the Floor

Depth has defined the Broncos’ roster construction this fall, particularly when it comes to multi-faceted box scores. Western Michigan featured two players with double-doubles in each match against Buffalo last weekend.

Richmond leads the team with 11 double-doubles this season, following a single-season program record of 26 last year. Patchett follows closely with seven, Izzy Swiercz has contributed four, and Carley Piercefield has added one.

Friday night’s opening serve against Ohio is scheduled for 6:00 PM in Athens, with Saturday’s matchup against Kent State slated for 4:00 PM.