Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Pushes Winning Streak Over Toledo to 37
November 05, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Toledo, Ohio - - Paced by the career-high 37 digs from junior libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.), the Ball State (17-8; 10-4 Mid-American Conference) women's volleyball team posted a 3-0 (35-33, 30-27, 30-16) victory over Toledo (15-11; 8-6 MAC) Saturday afternoon at Savage Hall. With the win, BSU pushes its overall winning streak to seven and has now won 37-straight vs. the Rockets.
With the 37 digs, McCormick upped her MAC-leading digs-per-game average to 6.22. She also added three assists and a service ace in the victory.
Senior middle attacker Rachel Refenes (Milwaukee, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran H.S.) continued her solid play at the net, pacing all players with 16 kills and seven total blocks. She also recorded a pair of assists, a service ace and a dig. In addition, Refenes finished the night without recording an error, hitting at a .571 (16-0-28) clip.
The opening set was by far the most competitive of the match with 18 total ties and seven lead changes. After falling behind early, BSU took its first advantage at 7-6 on a kill from senior Sarah Obras (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights H.S.). The Cardinals maintained the advantage until 18-18, before reclaiming the edge at 25-24.
The Cardinals would have the first game point at 29-28 on a kill from Refenes. After another game-point, Toledo would take its first -- and only -- shot at the set at 32-31. A kill from junior outside attacker Kelly Cochran (La Porte, Ind./Michigan City Marquette H.S.) and a block assist from senior middle attacker Kristin Westhof (Fruitport, Mich./Fruitport H.S.) and junior opposite side attacker Kirby Gibson (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) would give BSU its third attempt at game-point.
After UT tied the set again at 33-33, Obras would give BSU its fourth game-point. This time Refenes and Gibson would combine on the block to give the Cardinals a 35-33 game-one win.
In the second stanza, The Cardinals built an early 15-10 lead, before a 5-0 run from the Rockets tied the game at 15. BSU would regain a four-point edge at 22-18, before Toledo rallied off five more points to take its first advantage at 23-22. Ball State would reclaim the lead at 25-24 before playing to a 27-27 tie. The Cardinals would then rally off the next three points to win the set 30-27 on a kill from Obras.
After two close sets, the third game was all BSU, as the Cardinals built a 15-5 advantage and never looked back. Ball State would go on to win the game 30-16 on another kill from Obras.
Obras went on to collect 11 total kills in the victory, moving her career total to 1,886. She is now just 22 kills shy of breaking the all-time MAC record of 1,907. Obras also posted 14 digs and three total blocks in the win.
Cochran finished the contest with 13 kills and eight digs, while Gibson posted three kills and five total blocks. Westhof added four blocks and one dig in the win.
Sophomore setter Angie Parrell (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights H.S.) posted 39 assist in the contest, while guiding the Cardinals to a .237 (48-15-139) attack percentage. She also tallied five digs, two kills and two blocks.
Also aiding in the victory were senior Stephanie Bacan (Remsen, Iowa/St. Mary's H.S.) with seven digs and an ace; junior Heather Burleson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian H.S.) with a block and a dig and sophomore
Kelsey Culver led the Rockets with 11 kills, while Lora Sarich paced Toledo with 17 digs.
For the match, Ball State held a .237 to .104 (47-30-163) hitting advantage, as well as a 75-to-68 lead in digs and an 11-to-6 edge in total blocks. Toledo held a slim 4-3 advantage in aces.
The Ball State women's volleyball team will conclude the MAC regular season next weekend with a Friday match at Eastern Michigan and a Saturday contest at Central Michigan. Both matches are slated for
