Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Wins 36th-Straight Over Toledo
September 29, 2005 | Women's Volleyball
Muncie, Ind. - - The Ball State (8-5; 2-1 Mid-American Conference) women's volleyball team used a season-high 18 total blocks to take down Toledo (9-6; 2-1 MAC) by a score of 3-1 (30-27, 25-30, 30-28, 30-27) Thursday evening at Worthen Arena. The win was the Cardinals' 36th-straight over the Rockets, including a 13-0 edge at Worthen.
Senior Rachel Refenes (Milewaukee, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran H.S.) led the Cardinals' block with eight total, including a career-high tying four solo stuffs. Refenes was also one of three BSU players to collect double-figure kills in the match, posting 12.
Senior Sarah Obras (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights H.S.) and junior Kelly Cochran (LaPorte, Ind./Michigan City Marquette H.S.) each collected double-doubles in the contest, with Obras posting 15 kills and 17 digs and Cochran collecting a team-high 16 kills and 14 digs. Each player also posted a solo block, with Obras posting two total blocks and Cochran earning three.
After Toledo scored the first point of the match on a BSU service error, the Cardinals rallied off four-straight points to climb ahead 4-1. Ball State would continue to hold the lead until the 23-23 mark when one of nine Toledo service aces on the night tied the contest. The Rockets would go on to take a 27-25 advantage before a Ball State timeout changed the momentum of the frame.
Coming out of the timeout, Refenes slammed one of her team-best four kills in the game to bring BSU within one point. Two UT attack errors would follow, before a kill from sophomore setter Angie Parrell (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights H.S.) and a block from Refenes and Cochran ended the set at 30-27.
In the second stanza, Ball State went ahead 2-0, only to see the Rockets build a 10-5 edge. BSU would cut the gap to one point at 11-10, before falling behind again by a score of 18-12. The Cardinals would get as close as 22-20, only to fall behind 29-21. A kill from Parrell and three-straight attack errors - - including a block from
After fighting out to a 7-7 tie, BSU would take a 20-13 advantage in the third frame, only to see Toledo rally off the next six points to get within one at 20-19. Toledo would then pull ahead 23-21, only to see the Cardinals tie the set again at 24. Parrell would follow with a solo stuff, giving the Cardinals a 25-24 edge, but the Rockets would end up tying the game again at 28.
After a BSU timeout, Obras would break the tie with one of her four kills in the game. Toledo would follow with an attack error to end the set at 30-28.
The fourth frame would be the most hotly contested of the match with 11 ties and five lead changes. After falling behind by four points early (10-6) the Cardinals would bounce back and take a 19-16 advantage. BSU would capture the lead for good at the 24-23 mark, thanks to back-to-back Toledo errors. Obras and Refenes would follow with back-to-back kills, making the score 27-23. Toledo would draw within two points at 28-26 and 29-27 before May and Parrell combined for the match-winning block assist.
May finished the contest with a career-best six total blocks, while adding seven kills and a dig. Parrell would collect 50 assists, six digs, four kills and four total blocks in the victory.
Defensively, junior libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.) paced the Cardinals with 21 digs in the match, while collecting a pair of assists. Senior defensive specialist Stephanie Bacan (Remsen, Iowa/St. Mary's H.S.) tied a career-high for the second time this season with 17 digs, while adding a kill, an ace and a pair of assists.
Also aiding in the win were Westhof with a pair of blocks, three kills and a dig; Kirby Gibson (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) with three kills, two blocks and a dig; and Heather Burleson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian H.S.) with a block assist.
For the contest, Ball State held a .179 (61-27-190) to .126 (65-40-198) advantage in hitting and out-blocked the Rockets 18 to 12. Toledo held an 87-81 edge in digs and a 9-4 lead in service aces.
Toledo's Chelsey Poquette paced all players with 25 kills, while Lora Sarich collected a match-high 32 digs.
The Ball State women's volleyball team will return to action Saturday, when it hosts Buffalo in a
