Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Visits NIU and WMU this Weekend
October 24, 2006 | Women's Volleyball
Ball State Weekly Release in PDF Format
The Week Ahead: The Ball State women's volleyball team will hit the road for a pair of Mid-American Conference matches this weekend, starting with a Friday trip to Northern Illinois . . . After visiting the Huskies, BSU will head to the state of Michigan for the second-straight week to play the Western Michigan Broncos Saturday . . . Both matches are slated for 7 p.m. starts, with Friday's contest beginning at 8 p.m. Muncie time.
Last Week: Ball State saw its two-match road winning streak come to an end last weekend after a 0-3 (22-30, 18-30, 30-32) loss at Central Michigan Friday . . . BSU also suffered a 0-3 (26-30, 25-30, 17-30) setback at the hands of Eastern Michigan Saturday . . . With the losses, the Cardinals fell to 6-16 (3-7 MAC) on the year.
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois: The Cardinals own a slim 21-20 lead in the all-time series versus Northern Illinois . . . The teams have traded victories in the last seven contests, with NIU winning the most recent by a score of 3-1 (27-30, 30-16, 30-24, 30-25) at Worthen Arena in the first meeting between the two programs this season on Oct. 14 . . . Overall, the Cardinals are 5-12 in DeKalb, Ill., including losses in its last three trips.
Ball State vs. Western Michigan: Ball State holds a 35-31 advantage in the all-time series versus Western Michigan . . . In the first meeting of the year with WMU, the Cardinals suffered a 1-3 (26-30, 30-26, 23-30, 25-30) setback to the Broncos at Worthen Arena (Oct. 13) . . . With the loss, the Broncos have won five of the last seven meetings between the two clubs, including three-straight wins in Kalamazoo, Mich. . . . Overall, the Cardinals have a 12-17 record in matches hosted by Western Michigan.
About the Cardinals: Ball State enters Friday's contest with a 6-16 (3-7 MAC) record after dropping a pair of league road matches last week . . . Freshman Julie Breivogel currently paces the Cardinals with a 3.33 kills-per-game average, while senior Kelly Cochran is second at 3.08 . . . Senior Amanda McCormick anchors the BSU defense, averaging a NCAA-best 7.25 digs per game . . . Kirby Gibson is Ball State's top active blocker, averaging 0.68 blocks per game, while Angie Parrell and Cassie Connersplit time as the team's setter, averaging 9.00 and 6.03 assists per game, respectively . . . As a team, the Cardinals average 13.68 kpg, 12.46 apg, 18.61 dpg and 2.24 bpg . . . BSU's opponents are averaging 15.44 kpg, 14.45 apg, 19.58 dpg and 2.27 bpg.
About the Huskies: Northern Illinois enters the week with a 15-7 (8-2 MAC) record after splitting a pair of league matches last week . . . WMU scored a 3-1 (30-15, 32-34, 30-26, 30-18) victory at Kent State last Friday before falling at No. 21 Ohio by a score of 1-3 (25-30, 32-30, 18-30, 26-30) last Saturday . . . Kate McCullagh currently paces Northern Illinois with a 5.62 kills-per-game average, while Meagan Schoenrock is second at 2.84 . . . Gina Guide anchors the NIU defense with a 6.82 digs-per-game average . . . McCullagh is also the Huskies' top blocker, averaging 0.84 blocks per game, while Mandi Caputois the team's main setter averaging 11.73 assists per game . . . As a team, the Huskies average 15.42 kpg, 14.02 apg, 18.54 dpg and 1.62 bpg . . . NIU's opponents average 14.12 kpg, 12.89 apg, 16.06 dpg and 1.90 bpg.
About the Broncos: Western Michigan enters the week with a 13-11 (3-7 MAC) record after dropping a pair of league matches last week . . . WMU suffered a 1-3 (19-30, 16-30, 30-23, 28-30) loss at No. 21 Ohio Friday and a 1-3 (25-30, 30-24, 26-30, 31-33) setback at Kent State Saturday . . . Kathryn Babcock currently paces the Broncos with a 3.80 kills-per-game average, while Katie Eberling is second at 3.29 . . . Caitlin Strimel anchors the Western Michigan defense with a 4.87 digs-per-game average . . . Ashley Vogl is WMU's top blocker, averaging 0.91 blocks per game, while Jenifer Sulewski is the team's main setter, averaging 12.57 assists per game . . . As a team, the Broncos average 16.11 kpg, 15.02 apg, 17.32 dpg and 1.88 bpg . . . WMU's opponents average 13.86 kpg, 12.63 apg, 16.54 dpg and 1.90 bpg.
Cardinals on the Radio: WCRD 91.3 FM will carry all of Ball State's home matches live throughout the 2006 season . . . In addition, the station has covered several of the team's away contests and will once again carry all of BSU's MAC Tournament action . . . Fans not in the Muncie area can still listen to the matches by visiting the WCRD web site (www.wcrd.net) and clicking on the LISTEN NOW!!! button . . . Eric Ryan will serve as the play-by-play analyst for the season, while Lauren Bielenberg and Kelly Schroeing will provide the color commentary.
McCormick Breaks 2,000: In addition to averaging 8.67 dig-per-game in the Cardinals two matches last week, Amanda McCormickmade history by breaking the 2,000 career digs plateau with a match-high 30 digs versus Eastern Michigan Saturday . . . McCormick entered the match five digs shy of 2,000 for her career after racking up 22 is last Friday's loss at Central Michigan . . . With her 30 digs versus the Eagles - - including 14 in the opening game, McCormick raised her career total to 2,025.
Breaking Down McCormick's Digs: In her two seasons with the Cardinals (2005-06), Amanda McCormickhas logged 1,307 digs to rank third on BSU's all-time list . . . Prior to joining the Cardinals, McCormick tallied 718 digs in two seasons at Nebraska (2003-04) to give her a current career total of 2,025.
The 2,000 Dig Mark: Entering the 2006 season, only 16 players in NCAA Division I history had finished their career with more than 2,000 digs, including former BSU four-year letterwinner Stephanie Keller(2001-04) who ranks fifth on the all-time NCAA Division I list with 2,273 digs . . . The all-time record is held by Kim Diehlmann, who recorded 2,780 digs for Hartford from 1989 to 1992.
McCormick on Pace to Break NCAA Record: With an NCAA-leading 7.25 digs-per-game average on the year, Amanda McCormick is currently on pace to become the just the second player in NCAA Division I history to record over 7.00 digs-per-game in a season . . . In 2004, Oral Roberts' Becky Dreher ended the year with a 7.02 digs-per-game average . . . The BSU and Mid-American Conference single-season mark is 6.32 set by McCormick last season.
And Then There Were Three: Senior Kelly Cochran is quickly approaching elite company in the BSU record books, as she enters the week 46 kills shy of becoming just the third player in school history to record 1,200 career kills and 1,200 career digs . . . One of only five student-athletes in school annals to enter the 1,000/1,000 Club, Cochran has amassed 1,154 kills and 1,208 digs in her four seasons with BSU (2003-06) . . . In last Friday's match at Central Michigan, Cochran logged three digs to become just the sixth player in school annals to reach 1,200 digs . . . Only Sarah Obras (1,975 kills/1,652 digs) and Megan Hammons(1,827 kills/1,204 digs) have finished their careers at Ball State in the 1,200/1,200 Club.
Breivogel Leading the Pack: Freshman Julie Breivogelcontinues to lead the team with a 3.33 kills-per-game average . . . One of only two players to see action in all of BSU's 80 games, Breivogel has amassed 266 kills so far this season and is hitting at a .179 clip . . . She also leads the team with 292.5 points, while adding 123 digs, 26 total blocks and six service aces . . . Breivogel has paced the Cardinals in kills a team-best 12 times, while racking up double-figure kill totals in a team-high 14 contests.
Freshman Impact: After dropping the first two sets at Central Michigan last Friday by a combined 20 points, BSU head coach Randy Litchfieldswitched to a third-game lineup which featured as many as five first-year players on the court at a given time . . . The result was the closest game of the weekend, with CMU escaping with a 32-30 game victory.
Freshmen Score Career Marks: Redshirt freshman Madison Monk turned in a solid backcourt performance in the Cardinals' loss at Eastern Michigan, tying for second on the squad with a career-high eight digs . . . Redshirt freshman Rachel Alcorn tagged a career-best three kills in each of BSU's matches last weekend, while logging her first career block assist versus CMU . . . Alcorn followed with her first career solo block at EMU . . . Freshman Ana Gabriela Pedrosawould tally her first career solo block against the Chippewas.
Breaking Down the Record: Of the Cardinals 22 matches this season, 13 have been three-game sweeps with BSU posting a 2-11 mark in those matches . . . BSU is 1-3 in four-game matches and 3-2 in five-game sets . . . Overall, the Cardinals have tallied a 25-55 (.313) game record . . . BSU has limited its opponent to under 20 points in four games, while being held to less than 20 points in 12 frames.
.500-or-better: In order to finish the 2006 season with a .500-or-better record, BSU needs to win 11 matches . . . In order to accomplish this, BSU would have to win its last six regular-season matches, four MAC Tournament matches and at least one match in the NCAA Tournament.
What to Watch for This Week: Kelly Cochran is 46 kills shy of becoming just the third player in school history to record 1,200 career kills and 1,200 career digs.
