Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Hosts Akron Tonight, Visits Toledo Saturday
October 30, 2006 | Women's Volleyball
Ball State Weekly Release in PDF Format
The Week Ahead: The Ball State women's volleyball team looks to build upon its win at Western Michigan last Saturday, when it hosts Akron Thursday night at 7 p.m. . . . On Saturday, the Cardinals will head to Toledo for its final road match of the 2006 regular season . . . Match time versus the Rockets is set for 3 p.m.
Last Week: Ball State saw its season-long losing streak climb to seven matches Friday with a 1-3 (26-30, 28-30, 30-26, 18-30) loss at Mid-American Conference West Division leader Northern Illinois . . . However, the Cardinals were able to snap the skid Saturday night with a hard-fought 3-2 (32-30, 30-27, 18-30, 24-30, 15-12) victory at Western Michigan.
Ball State vs. Akron:The Cardinals own a 23-2 advantage in the all-time series versus the Zips, including four-straight victories . . . Last season, Ball State posted a 3-2 (28-30, 37-35, 30-22, 22-30, 15-13) road victory over Akron on Nov. 4 . . . The Zips enter Thursday's contest with a 0-10 all-time record in Muncie, with all 10 losses coming in Worthen Arena . . . The last time BSU hosted Akron was on Nov. 2, 2003, with the Cardinals scoring a 3-0 (30-27, 32-30, 30-26) victory.
Ball State vs. Toledo:Ball State holds a dominating 47-3 edge in the all-time series versus the Rockets, including 38-straight victories . . . Earlier this season, the Cardinals tallied a 3-2 (30-20, 29-31, 26-30, 30-21, 15-10) win over Toledo on Sept. 28 in a match televised on the Ball State Sports Network . . . In the contest, BSU senior libero Amanda McCormickrecorded a Worthen Arena, BSU and MAC record 50 digs . . . BSU is 18-2 all-time in trips to Toledo, including 16-straight wins . . . During the current 38-match win streak over UT, BSU has tallied 18 sweeps, 13 four-set victories and seven 3-2 wins.
About the Cardinals:Ball State enters Thursday's contest with a 7-17 (4-8 MAC) record after splitting a pair of league road matches last week . . . Freshman Julie Breivogel currently paces the Cardinals with a 3.36 kills-per-game average, while senior Kelly Cochran is second at 3.09 . . . Senior Amanda McCormick anchors the BSU defense, averaging a NCAA-best 7.35 digs per game . . . Kirby Gibson is Ball State's top active blocker, averaging 0.72 blocks per game, while Angie Parrell and Cassie Connersplit time as the team's setter, averaging 9.21 and 5.55 assists per game, respectively . . . As a team, the Cardinals average 13.76 kpg, 12.58 apg, 18.89 dpg and 2.24 bpg . . . BSU's opponents are averaging 15.67 kpg, 14.66 apg, 20.04 dpg and 2.21 bpg.
About the Zips:Akron enters the week with a 7-19 (1-11 MAC) record after dropping a pair of league home matches last weekend . . . Akron suffered a 0-3 (17-30, 24-30, 19-30) loss to Central Michigan Friday, before being swept 0-3 (35-37, 23-30, 17-30) by Eastern Michigan Saturday . . . Brionna Patterson currently paces Akron's regular starters with a 3.40 kills-per-game average, while Molly Rutledge is second at 3.16 . . . Kim Horn anchors the Akron defense with a 3.74 digs-per-game average . . . Rutledge is also the Zips' top blocker, averaging 0.72 blocks per game, while Kara Smithis the team's main setter averaging 9.27 assists per game . . . As a team, the Zips average 12.48 kpg, 11.47 apg, 17.29 dpg and 2.06 bpg . . . Akron's opponents average 15.76 kpg, 14.26 apg, 18.32 dpg and 2.26 bpg.
About the Rockets:Toledo enters the week with a 6-19 (3-9 MAC) record after dropping a pair of league road matches last weekend . . . UT suffered a 0-3 (24-30, 24-30, 28-30) loss at Western Michigan Friday, before being swept 0-3 (23-30, 24-30, 18-30) at Northern Illinois Saturday . . . Kate Bean currently paces the Rockets with a 3.83 kills-per-game average, while TaNeisha Winters is second at 3.09 . . . Lora Sarich anchors the Toledo defense with a 4.39 digs-per-game average . . . Brittany Alaburda is UT's top blocker, averaging 0.70 blocks per game, while Emi Holsclaw and Mallory Ladd split time as the team's setter, averaging 10.95 and 8.96 assists per game, respectively . . . As a team, the Rockets average 14.88 kpg, 13.79 apg, 17.63 dpg and 1.56 bpg . . . Toledo's opponents average 15.16 kpg, 13.97 apg, 17.50 dpg and 2.74 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 Digs 40 Again: For the fourth time this season, and the fifth time in her career, BSU senior libero Amanda McCormick reached the 40-dig mark, logging 40 in BSU's four-game loss at Northern Illinois last Friday . . . On Sept. 28 versus Toledo, McCormick posted a Worthen Arena, BSU and Mid-American Conference record 50 digs . . . She logged 41 digs versus IPFW (Aug. 26) and 40 digs versus Tennessee Tech (Sept. 15) . . . Last year, McCormick tallied a then-career-high 43 digs at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 19) . . . Stephanie Keller(2001-04) is the only other player in program history to post a least one 40-dig match, with three over her career.
McCormick Builds Towards 2,100:With 74 digs in BSU's two matches last weekend, Amanda McCormickupped her career digs total to 2,099 . . . In her two seasons with the Cardinals (2005-06), McCormick has logged 1,381 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 2,099.
McCormick on Pace to Break NCAA Record:After averaging 8.22 digs-per-game in BSU's two matches last week, Amanda McCormickupped her NCAA-leading dpg average to an astonishing 7.35 . . . McCormick, who is on pace to become just the second player in NCAA Division I history to record over 7.00 digs-per-game in a season, has posted a 10.0 digs-per-game average in two of BSU's last three matches, four times total this season and six times in her career . . . Her highest single-match average came on Nov. 5, 2005 when she logged 37 digs in a three-game win at Toledo for a 12.33 average . . . 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:With 28 kills last weekend, BSU senior outside attacker Kelly Cochran enters Thursday's match versus Akron 18 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 1,182 kills and 1,244 digs in her four seasons with BSU (2003-06) to rank eighth and fifth, respectively, in those categories in BSU history . . . 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.
Cochran Approaching Two More Marks:Kelly Cochranenters the week ranked fourth in career attempts at BSU with 3,997 . . . In addition, her 424 game played leave her nine shy of breaking into the top 10 in BSU annals.
Breivogel Leading the Pack:Freshman outside attacker Julie Breivogelcontinues to lead the team with a 3.36 kills-per-game average . . . One of only two players to see action in all of BSU's 89 games, Breivogel has amassed 299 kills so far this season and is hitting at a .181 clip . . . She also leads the team with 330.0 points, while adding 142 digs, 33 total blocks and seven service aces . . . Breivogel has paced the Cardinals in kills a team-best 13 times, while racking up double-figure kill totals in a team-high 16 contests.
May Explodes at WMU:Junior middle/outside attacker Brittany May ended a three-match negative hitting streak in a major way Saturday at Western Michigan, posting a season-best (for 15-plus attempts) .438 hitting mark versus the Broncos . . . In the contest, May logged 16 kills on 32 swings with just two errors . . . May's previous season high for over 15 swings was .276 (11-3-29) versus Northern Illinois (Oct. 14).
Cardinals Like to Go Five:Of BSU's seven wins this season, four have come in five-game matches . . . Overall, the Cardinals are 2-11 in three-game sweeps, 1-3 in four-set matches and 4-2 in five-game sets . . . On the year, BSU has tallied a 28-57 (.329) game record . . . In games played to 30 points, BSU has limited its opponent to under 20 points four times, while being held to less than 20 points in 14 frames.
Parrell Climbs to Sixth on All-Time Assists List:After recording 97 assists in BSU's two matches last weekend, junior setter Angie Parrellclimbed to sixth on BSU's career assists list with 2,412 helpers . . . Parrell is 237 assists shy of catching No. 5 Janell Lorenz (1984-87) at 2,649 and 252 shy of Lorie Vandenberg (1989-92) in fourth at 2,664 . . . Emily Sallee (6,408) is BSU's all-time assists leader at 6,408.
.500-or-better:In order to finish the 2006 season with a .500-or-better record, BSU would have to win its last four regular-season matches, all four MAC Tournament matches and at least three matches in the NCAA Tournament.
What to Watch for This Week:Kelly Cochran is 18 kills shy of becoming only the third player in BSU history to log 1,200 career kills and 1,200 career digs . . . Amanda McCormick has a 9.00 career digs-per-game average versus Toledo . . . Kirby Gibson has scored double-figure kills in BSU's last two matches . . . Randy Litchfield is 36-0 all-time versus Toledo.
