Toledo Swept by Western Michigan in MAC Quarterfinals

Sunday, November 21

Muncie, Ind.

4:30 p.m.

University of Toledo

19-12,10-8MAC

Western Michigan

19-11,11-7MAC

Toledo

Western Mich.

Photo by: Max Minor

Toledo Swept by Western Michigan in MAC Quarterfinals

11/21/2021 7:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

MUNCIE, Ind. – The University of Toledo women's volleyball team's (19-12, 10-8 MAC) season came to an end on Sunday in Muncie, Ind., falling to Western Michigan in three sets in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament.

"We ran into a team in Western Michigan that was well coached and had a great match," head coach Jason Oliver said. "My hat goes off to them for the way they played."

No. 5 seed Toledo ended its first MAC Tournament appearance since 2016 in three sets to No.4 seed Western Michigan. Toledo was led offensively by sophomore Taylor Alt, who collected a team-high 16 kills. Sophomore Abby Erickson was right behind with six kills and two blocks. Freshman Elaine Redman added 29 assists and one block, while senior Rhyen Neal tallied a team-high 13 digs.

"This is a huge step forward for our program and the lessons that we learned throughout this experience will fuel us in the future," Oliver said. "I am so thankful for the seniors and their contribution to our program and excited to fight another day with these great student-athletes."

Toledo's 19 wins are tied for the second-most in a season in school history, with the 2013 team also reaching 19 victories. The school record is held by the 1983 team, which posted a record of 27-16 that season.

The Rockets broke the program record in both total blocks and blocks/set this season, tallying 268.5 total blocks and averaging 2.42/set. The total blocks record had stood since 1987, and the blocks/set record was held by last season's team. Toledo's attack percentage this year was .210, just off the school record of .211 set in 1992.

Individually, five Rockets placed themselves among the Top 10 in single-season and career categories in the Toledo record book:

Taylor Alt ended her sophomore season with 450 kills and averaging 4.09/set. Her kills/set average is the third-highest by a player in school history, and she becomes the fifth player ever to average at least four kills per set in a season. Alt's 450 kills rank fourth all-time in a single season.
Rhyen Neal ends her collegiate career with 1,401 digs, which will put her in fifth place all-time in school history.
Rhyenne Filisi (1.04) and Olivia Vance (1.00) both ended the 2021 season averaging at least one block per set. Filisi's figure is the sixth-best in a single season in school history and Vance now ranks tied for ninth in program history.
Ryann Jaqua averaged 4.17 digs/set this season, which is the 10th-best figure in school history.

1st Set (25-20, Western Michigan)
The first set was the closest set of the match. Trailing 10-6, Toledo scored four of the next five points to pull within one, 11-10, a scoring surge that was punctuated by a block from junior Rhyenne FIlisi and sophomore Rachel Pierce. A back row attack by Alt coming out of a timeout put her team within one, 15-14, and the next play, a block on the right pin from junior Liz Beasley and Filisi tied things up at 15-15. The Broncos pulled away on unforced errors, and built up to a three-point lead, 20-17, before the Rockets took a timeout. The Broncos ended the first set to take the 1-0 lead off a Toledo hitting error.

2nd Set (25-17 Western Michigan)
The Rockets and Broncos opened up a hasty second set exchanging points back and forth. Back-to-back kills by Alt on the outside got her team withing two, 11-9, but the Broncos' pin hitters found the gaps in the block and on the court. The Broncos built up to a quick seven-point lead, 22-15. Alt added in two more kills to try and spark some momentum for the Rockets, but the Midnight Blue and Gold could not overcome the deficit and fell behind 2-0 in the match.

3rd Set (25-19 Western Michigan)
It was the Rockets that opened up strong in the third set, with a cross court drill from Alt on the outside to capture the first point. A block by Erickson and Redman put the Rockets up by one, but the Broncos answered back with a 4-2 run to take the lead once again at 6-5. A kill by junior Sina Uluave trimmed the Rockets' deficit to four, 14-10. Neal stepped to the service line and helped spark a 3-0 run, including an ace, to put Toledo within one, 14-13. UT would not get any closer, unfortunately, as Western Michigan would go on to win 25-19 to win the match.