Ball State University Athletics
WMU Block Dooms Women's Volleyball
October 14, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Kalamazoo, Mich. - - In a match that saw Ball State (10-7/4-3 Mid-American Conference) senior Sarah Obras (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights H.S.) reach the 1,800 career kill plateau, it was the blocking of Western Michigan (12-6/4-3 MAC) that lifted the Broncos to a 3-2 (30-14, 30-18, 30-32, 33-35, 15-7) victory over the Cardinals Friday evening at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Obras finished the evening with 20 kills, moving her career total to 1,803. She also added 15 digs for her eighth double-double of the season, moving her career dig total to 1,483. Obras is currently 17 digs shy of becoming the first player in MAC history to record 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs in a career.
After dropping the first game 30-14 and the second set 30-18, the Cardinals fought back from down 10-3 in the third set to take a 20-19 advantage on a service ace from senior Stephanie Bacan (Remsen, Iowa/St. Mary's H.S.). The score would remain tight, before WMU served for its first match point at 29-28, but a kill from Obras knotted the score again. A kill from WMU's Kathryn Babcock would give the Broncos their second match point, but sophomore Angie Parrell (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights H.S.) would collect BSU's second match-saving kill. WMU would follow with a pair of attack errors to hand BSU the set at 32-30.
Western Michigan would once again take and early lead in the third game, pulling ahead 13-10. WMU would continue to hold the lead at 21-20, before an Obras kill tied the score at 21. BSU would takes its first advantage at 25-24 on a WMU attack error and add another point on a block assists from Parrell and senior Rachel Refenes (Milwaukee, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran H.S.). However, WMU would eventually take the lead at 29-28 and serve for the match for a third time.
This time a WMU service error gave the Cardinals life at 29-29. WMU would have match-point four more times only to be denied on each occasion. After a kill from Kelly Cochran (LaPorte, Ind./Michigan City Marquette H.S.) tied the score at 33-33, Parrell and Refenes combined for another block assists to give BSU its first game point. Refenes would follow with the game-winning kill at 35-33.
After the intense third and fourth frames, BSU fell behind early again in the fifth set at 7-4. After a BSU time out, the Cardinals would score the next point on a WMU attack error, before an 8-2 Western Michigan run gave the Broncos the match on a 15-7 game five win.
Refenes and Cochran would each add double-figure kills for the Cardinals with 17 and 12, respectively. Cochran would go on to add 22 digs for her 12th double-double of the season, while Refenes paced the Cardinals with four total blocks.
Parrell would tie a career-high with 58 assists in the match, while freshman setter Lanee Mikesell (St. Henry, Ohio/St. Henry H.S.) added a pair of assists in the second game. Parrell also collected seven digs, four kills and two blocks.
Junior libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.) paced all players in the contest with 31 digs, while defensive specialist Bacan added eight.
Also appearing in the loss for the Cardinals were senior Kristin Westhof (Fruitport, Mich./Fruitport H.S.) with one kill; junior Heather Burleson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian H.S.) with eight kills, three digs and a solo block; junior Kirby Gibson (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) with a pair of kills; and sophomore
The key to the Western Michigan victory on the night was their blocking, as they limited the Cardinals to a .099 (68-46-222) attack percentage by recording 25 total blocks - - compared to six for Ball State. WMU also hit .251 (77-23-215) in the contest and held a 94 to 88 advantage in digs.
BSU only statistical win came in the service ace category, as the collected five - - two each from Obras and Cochran and one from Bacan - - to WMU's two.
Shaylen Jackson had a huge night at the net for WMU, recording 14 total blocks (seven solo and seven assists) while tying teammate Kathryn Babcock for match-high honors with 24 kills. With her 14 total blocks, Jackson became the school's all-time leader.
The Ball State women's volleyball team will try to rebound from the loss Saturday night, as they travel to Northern Illinois to face the Huskies at
