Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Soars Past Butler on Milestone Night
September 14, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Ball State vs. Butler Box Score
Muncie, Ind. - - Ball State head coach Randy Litchfield was able to collect a win in his 500th career match as he guided the Cardinals (6-3) to a 3-0 (30-20, 30-22, 30-18) victory over Butler (3-5) Wednesday evening at Worthen Arena. With the win, Litchfield improves his career record to 346-154 (.692).
Senior Rachel Refenes (Milwaukee, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran H.S.) paced the Cardinals' attack with 14 kills and added four digs and four block assists. The 6-3 senior did not waste any time collection her 1,000th career kill as she smashed BSU's third marker of the night and ended the contest with 1,013 career kills.
Senior Sarah Obras (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights H.S.) also posted double-figure kills in the contest, collecting 10 to move her career total to 1,701. Obras is only the fifth player in Mid-American Conference history to tag over 1,700 kills. Obras' 1,700th kill gave BSU a 28-18 advantage in game three. She also posted 12 digs in the match for her fourth double-double of the season.
In the first game of the night, the two teams played to a 13-13 tie before the Cardinals took the lead for good on a kill from Obras. Butler would hold the score close to the 18-17 mark, before Ball State rallied off 12 of the final 15 points to win the game 30-20.
The Bulldogs held an early five-point, 10-5, advantage in the second game, before the Cardinals surged back to tie the set at 12-12. Butler would regain a pair of two-point advantages, only to have BSU answer back and tie. Ball State took its first lead since the start of the game at 17-16 and outscored Butler 13-6 the rest of the way to win the frame 30-22.
Butler would jump out to a 7-3 advantage in the third game, but Brittany May's (Gaston, Ind./Wes-Del H.S.) first of three kills on the night and some strong serving from Kelly Cochran (LaPorte, Ind./Michigan City Marquette H.S.) would allow the Cardinals to take an 8-7 edge. The two teams would play to a 15-15 tie before the Cardinals cut loose and scored 15 of the final 18 points to win the game 30-18 and the match 3-0.
Cochran would be the only BSU player other than Obras to collect double-figure digs in the match, scoring 10. She would add six kills, a service ace and a block assist.
Sophomore setter Angie Parrell (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights H.S.) would quarterback the club to its second-best hitting effort of the season at .295 (46-13-112). She ended the match with 33 assists, seven digs, four kills, four blocks and a pair of service aces.
Senior Kristin Westhof (Fruitport, Mich./Fruitport H.S.) would add four kills and two blocks in the contest, while junior Kirby Gibson (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) would score five kills and two blocks.
BSU's libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.) and defensive specialist Stephanie Bacan (Remsen, Iowa/St. Mary's H.S.) would also aid in the win, with McCormick collecting eight digs, three assists and a service ace and Bacan posting nine digs, three aces and a pair of assists.
BSU sophomore Lauren Robbins (Ennis, Texas/Ennis H.S.) would also see action in the win.
For the match, BSU limited the Bulldogs to a .112 (32-20-107) attack percentage, including a .027 (9-8-37) mark in the final frame. BSU also out-dug Butler 50 to 44.
Susana Henri would lead Butler with 10 kills in the contest, while Megan Knightly tied for match-high honors with 12 digs.
With the win, BSU also extended its Worthen Arena winning streak to 13 matches, which is the third-longest streak in school annals.
The Ball State women's volleyball team will have the rest of the week off before it travels to IPFW next Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match up with the Mastodons.
