Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Ends Regular Season at Home This Weekend
November 07, 2006 | Women's Volleyball
Women's Volleyball Weekly Release in PDF Format
The Week Ahead: The Ball State Women's Volleyball team closes the regular season with a pair of Mid-American Conference home matches this weekend . . . BSU opens play Friday with a 7 p.m. match versus Eastern Michigan . . . On Saturday, the Cardinals will host Central Michigan at 7 p.m. . . . The CMU contest will also serve as senior night, with BSU honoring Kelly Cochran, Kirby Gibson and Amanda McCormick.
Last Week: The Cardinals improved to 9-17 (6-8 MAC) with a pair of league victories last week . . . BSU began the week Thursday with a 3-0 (30-27, 30-22, 30-27) home victory over Akron . . . Saturday, BSU would extend its current winning streak to three matches with a 3-0 (30-23, 30-17, 30-27) win at Toledo.
Looking Towards the MAC Tournament:Despite the rough season to date, Ball State enters the final week of the regular season with a chance to earn anywhere from the fourth seed to the ninth seed in the 2006 MAC Tournament . . . BSU could earn the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the tournament if it sweeps this weekend, Miami (8-6 MAC) drops both its matches and either Western Michigan (6-8 MAC) or Central Michigan (7-7 MAC) are the only other team besides BSU and Miami to finish at 8-8 . . . If any combination of four teams - - including Kent State (6-8 MAC) - - or all five times finish at 8-8, Ball State loses the tiebreaker . . . If BSU splits this weekend, it would fall anywhere from fifth to ninth depending on other matches . . . If BSU loses both matches, it will earn the No. 9 seed, unless Toledo (4-10) sweeps this weekend and WMU loses both its matches to finish at 6-10, which in that case BSU would earn the No. 8 seed by virtue of the tiebreaker . . . Ball State would also earn the No. 8 seed if BSU, KSU, WMU and Toledo all finish at 6-10.
Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan:Ball State holds a 39-16 lead in the all-time series with the Eagles, which dates back to a 2-0 (15-6, 15-3) BSU win on Oct. 12, 1973 . . . Despite a 0-3 (26-30, 25-30, 17-30) setback in Ypsilanti earlier this season (Oct. 21), BSU has won 11 of the last 14 matches versus EMU . . . Eastern Michigan is 5-22 all-time in Muncie, including an 0-16 mark in Worthen Arena.
Ball State vs. Central Michigan:Ball State owns a 32-23 advantage in the all-time series with the Chippewas, which dates back to a 2-0 (15-5, 16-14) Cardinals victory on Oct. 13, 1973 . . . Earlier this season, the Cardinals suffered a 0-3 (22-30, 18-30, 30-32) setback in Mt. Pleasant (Oct. 20) to snap a three-match winning streak over the Chippewas . . . CMU is 9-15 all-time in Muncie, including an 1-11 mark in Worthen Arena.
About the Cardinals:Ball State enters Friday's contest with a 9-17 (6-8 MAC) record after posting a pair of league wins last week . . . Freshman Julie Breivogel currently paces the Cardinals with a 3.41 kills-per-game average, while senior Kelly Cochran is second at 3.06 . . . Senior Amanda McCormick anchors the BSU defense, averaging a NCAA-best 7.61 digs per game . . . Kirby Gibson is Ball State's top active blocker, averaging 0.79 blocks per game, while Angie Parrell and Cassie Connersplit time as the team's setter, averaging 9.40 and 5.66 assists per game, respectively . . . As a team, the Cardinals average 13.95 kpg, 12.74 apg, 18.98 dpg and 2.27 bpg . . . BSU's opponents are averaging 15.53 kpg, 14.52 apg, 20.01 dpg and 2.19 bpg.
About the Eagles:Eastern Michigan enters the week with a 12-14 (6-8 MAC) record . . . Last week, EMU posted a 3-2 (30-26, 26-30, 30-27, 25-30, 15-7) win over Central Michigan and a 3-0 (30-20, 30-27, 30-28) victory over Kent State . . . Lindsay Piccolini currently paces Eastern Michigan with a 4.51 kills-per-game average, while Becky Reenders is second at 3.45 . . . Ashley Cudney anchors the EMU defense with a 5.97 digs-per-game average . . . Reenders is also the Eagles' top blocker, averaging 1.18 blocks per game, while Katie Sulewskiis the team's main setter averaging 11.78 assists per game . . . As a team, the Eagles average 14.80 kpg, 13.51 apg, 18.90 dpg and 2.52 bpg . . . EMU's opponents average 15.30 kpg, 14.02 apg, 19.01 dpg and 2.17 bpg.
About the Chippewas:Central Michigan enters the week with a 17-10 (7-7 MAC) record . . . Last week, CMU suffered a 2-3 (26-30, 30-26, 27-30, 30-25, 7-15) setback to Eastern Michigan and a 1-3 (30-23, 25-30, 26-30, 19-30) loss to then-No. 22 Ohio . . . Whitney Evers currently paces Central Michigan with a 3.13 kills-per-game average, while Alison Baker is second at 3.02 . . . Alexis Lonneman anchors the Central Michigan defense with a 4.90 digs-per-game average . . . Evers is CMU's top blocker, averaging 1.22 blocks per game, while Courtney Kersten is the team's main setter, averaging 12.86 assists per game . . . As a team, the Chippewas average 15.56 kpg, 14.36 apg, 16.74 dpg and 2.54 bpg . . . CMU's opponents average 12.88 kpg, 11.99 apg, 15.91 dpg and 2.13 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 Schroering will provide the color commentary.
McCormick Builds Towards 2,200:With 69 digs in BSU's two matches last weekend, Amanda McCormickupped her career digs total to 2,168 . . . In her two seasons with the Cardinals (2005-06), McCormick has logged 1,450 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 2,168.
McCormick on Pace to Shatter NCAA Record:After averaging 11.50 digs-per-game in BSU's two matches last week, Amanda McCormickupped her NCAA-leading dpg average to an astonishing 7.61 . . . 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-or-better average in four of BSU's last five matches, six times this season and eight times in her career . . . Her highest single-match average came last Thursday when she logged 38 digs in a three-game win over Akron for a 12.67 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 16 kills last week, BSU senior outside attacker Kelly Cochran enters Friday's match versus EMU two 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 1,198 kills and 1,254 digs in her four seasons with BSU (2003-06) to rank eighth and fourth, 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 third in career attempts at BSU with 4,051 . . . In addition, her 430 games played leave her three shy of breaking into the top 10 in BSU annals.
McCormick Continues Her School-Record Streak:With 30-plus digs in each of BSU's matches last week, Amanda McCormick has now recorded 30-or-more digs in a school-record five-straight matches . . . The previous school record was three matches held by McCormick and Stephanie Keller (2001-2004) . . . Over the last five matches, McCormick has tallied 173 digs in 18 games for a 9.61 digs-per-game average . . . She collected 30 digs at EMU (Oct. 21), 40 digs at NIU (Oct. 27), 34 digs at WMU (Oct. 28), 38 digs versus Akron (Nov. 2) and 31 digs at Toledo (Nov. 4).
Kakatolis Has Huge Week:Freshman opposite side attacker Elaina Kakatolis turned in career numbers for the Cardinals against Akron last week, scoring career-highs of 12 kills, two solo blocks and a .526 (12-2-19) attack percentage . . . She followed the effort with nine kills and a .400 (9-1-20) attack percentage Saturday at Toledo . . . For the week, Kakatolis hit. 462 (21-3-39), with 21 kills, five total blocks and three digs.
Breivogel Leading the Pack:Freshman outside attacker Julie Breivogelcontinues to lead the team with a 3.41 kills-per-game average . . . One of only two players to see action in all of BSU's 95 games, Breivogel has amassed 324 kills so far this season and is hitting at a .186 clip . . . She also leads the team with 357.0 points, while adding 147 digs, 35 total blocks and eight service aces . . . Breivogel has paced the Cardinals in kills a team-best 14 times, while racking up double-figure kill totals in a team-high 18 contests.
BSU Offense Ignites Versus Rockets:Behind the play of junior setter Angie Parrell, the Ball State offense ignited for a season-high .306 (52-14-124) attack percentage at Toledo . . . In addition to dishing out a match-best 42 assists, Parrell paced all players with a .571 (4-0-7) attack percentage . . . Amanda McCormick followed at .500 (2-0-4), while Elaina Kakatolis hit .400 (9-1-20) and Kelly Cochran posted a .367 (12-1-30) rate of success . . . Overall, all seven BSU players that recorded an attack hit positive for the match . . . The previous season-high hitting mark for Ball State was .278 (53-18-126) at Butler (Sept. 26).
Gibson Climbing The Blocks Chart:Senior opposite side/middle attacker Kirby Gibson enters the week ranked 16th on BSU's career charts with 249 total blocks . . . Her 205 career block assists rank 17th on BSU's all-time list, while her 0.70 blocks-per-game average is 20th among players with at least 200 total blocks.
Breaking Down The Record:Overall, the Cardinals are 4-11 in three-game sweeps, 1-4 in four-set matches and 4-2 in five-game sets . . . On the year, BSU has tallied a 35-60 (.368) game record . . . In games played to 30 points, BSU has limited its opponent to under 20 points five times, while being held to less than 20 points in 14 frames.
.500-or-better:In order to finish the 2006 season with a .500-or-better record, BSU would have to win its last two regular-season matches, all four MAC Tournament matches - - if it does not earn the first round bye - - and at least three matches in the NCAA Tournament.
What to Watch for This Week:Kelly Cochran is two kills shy of becoming only the third player in BSU history to log 1,200 career kills and 1,200 career digs . . . BSU will celebrate senior night Saturday versus CMU, honoring Kelly Cochran, Kirby Gibson and Amanda McCormick.
