Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Picks Up Pivotal Road Win at Xavier
October 25, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Cincinnati, Ohio - - The Ball State (13-8) women's volleyball team picked up its second true road win of the season with a 3-0 (30-26, 30-23, 30-26) victory at Xavier (15-9) Tuesday evening at the Cintas Center. With the win, BSU pushes its overall winning streak to three matches. BSU is now 8-1 at Worthen Arena, 2-6 away and 3-1 at neutral sites.
This week's Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week Rachel Refenes (Milwaukee, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran H.S.) paced all players for the third-straight match with 17 kills, while racking up a match-best seven total blocks. In addition, she recorded four digs, an ace and an assist while hitting for a .441 (
BSU's all-time career kills leader Sarah Obras (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights H.S.) moved within 60 kills (1,847) of the all-time MAC record of 1,907 - - set by Northern Illinois' Tera Lobdell - - notching 12 on the evening, in addition to 13 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. She also logged three blocks and a .189 (
Junior libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.) collected 28 digs in the match, upping her MAC leading digs-per-game average from 5.77 to 5.91. She also turned in a pair of assists.
After falling behind by seven points at the 18-11 mark in the opening set, the Ball State offense came to life, collecting 12 of the next 17 points to tie the frame at 23. After a Xavier timeout, BSU recorded its first lead since the opening point on a kill from junior middle attacker Kirby Gibson (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.). Xavier would rebound to take a 25-24 advantage and play to a 26-26 tie, before BSU rallied off the final four points, winning the game 30-26 on a Stephanie Bacan (Remsen, Iowa/St. Mary's H.S.) service ace. While Refenes collected six kills in the set, McCormick was the star with 11 digs.
In the second set, it was Xavier who scored the first point, while Ball State built up an 18-11 lead. Unlike Xavier in the opening set, the Cardinals continued to cruise, winning the frame 30-23. Refenes pounded out five kills in the frame, while Obras added four. McCormick paced the defensive effort with seven digs.
In the final frame, the teams played to a 15-15 tied before the Cardinals posted a five-point run to take the advantage for good. Ball State would serve for the match at 29-23, but Xavier would rally within three points, before a Musketeers' attack error ended the contest at 30-26.
In addition to her game-one winning ace, Bacan finished the evening with four digs and a pair of aces. Gibson collected a pair of kills and a block in the win.
After a slow start to the evening, junior Kelly Cochran (La Porte, Ind./Michigan City Marquette H.S.) finished the contest with nine kills, including seven in the final frame. She also turned in seven digs.
Sophomore setter Angie Parrell (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights H.S.) scored 37 assists in the contest, while adding five blocks, four digs and a pair of kills.
Also factoring in the win for the Cardinals were senior Kristin Westhof (Fruitport, Mich./Fruitport H.S.); junior Heather Burleson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian H.S.) with five digs, two kills, two assists and a service ace; and sophomore
For the match, the Cardinals hit .156 (46-23-147) compared to a .051 (34-27-138) clip for the Musketeers. BSU also held a 68-65 advantage in digs, a 9-8 edge in total blocks and a 4-2 lead in aces.
Danielle Skrajewski topped the Xavier offense with 12 kills in the match, while Jenn Welsh paced four Musketeers' who collected double-figure digs with 13.
The Cardinals close the home portion of its MAC schedule this weekend when it hosts Northern Illinois Friday and Western Michigan Saturday. For Friday's contest, the Delta High School Pep Band will provide the musical entertainment, while Saturday's contest marks senior night for the Cardinals.
Saturday's contest will also be a "Volleyball Free For All", with free admission for EVERYONE. In addition, prizes will be given out throughout the match, capped by the give-away of a Color TV, an X-Box donated by Pepsi and a collection of X-Box games including Tiger Woods 2006 and Madden 2006.
