HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - - Despite a career-high 17 kills from freshman outside hitter Abby LaVigne (Swanton, Ohio/Swanton H.S.), the Ball State women's volleyball team ended the Hofstra/Asics Invitational with a 3-1 (30-20, 29-31, 31-29, 30-19) loss to Siena Saturday afternoon.
With the match tied at one game apiece, the Cardinals looked poised to take a 2-1 lead, holding a 29-26 advantage in the third set. However, the Saints rallied off the final five points of the game and eventually won the match.
Sophomore outside hitter Julie Breivogel (Boonville, Ind./Boonville H.S.) continued her solid offensive play from the first match, smashing a match-best and season-high 18 kills, while adding three total blocks.
Sophomore opposite side attacker Elaina Kakatolis (Arcanum, Ohio/Franklin Monroe H.S.) - - who was named to the Hofstra/Asics Challenge All-Tournament Team - - also collected double-figure kills in the contest, equaling her opening match total of 13.
BSU's defense continued to be dominated by the play of freshman libero Alyssa Rio (Wayne, Ill./St. Francis H.S.), as she collected a match-best 34 digs. Rio has now posted double-figure digs in all six of her matches at Ball State and has broken the 30-dig plateau two times.
Overall, the Cardinals collected a season-high 59 kills in the contest, while tying its season-best mark with a .160 (59-31-175) attack percentage.
After scoring the first two points of the match, the Cardinals found themselves trailing 5-4 early in the set. A kill from junior Christine Kennedy (San Marcos, Calif./University of San Diego H.S.) sparked a three-point BSU run, giving the Cardinals a 7-5 advantage. Siena followed by scoring three of the next four points and never looked back, winning the game 30-20.
The second game was close throughout, with neither team being able to pull ahead by more than three points. Ball State gained control of the game late, as kills from LaVigne and Breivogel gave BSU game point at 29-26. After a pair of BSU errors and a kill from the Saints' Kelly Hummel tied the game at 29-29, Breivogel stepped up for the Cardinals, pounding kills on the next two plays to give BSU a 31-29 game two victory.
Ball State controlled play for much of the early portion of the third game, pulling ahead by as many as five points at 19-14. Unfortunately, the Saints were able to battle back and eventually tie the game at 24-24.
The game remained tied at 26-26 before three-straight BSU points, including a Kennedy service ace and a Breivogel kill, gave BSU its second-straight 29-26 advantage. After a Siena timeout, a kill from the Saints' Aubrey Bobo and a block assist cut the BSU advantage to 29-28. Two BSU attack errors followed before Bobo produced the game-winning service ace, capping a 5-0 Siena run.
The fourth and final game opened with the teams playing to a 13-13 tie. From there, the Saints scored 17 of the final 23 points to win the set 30-19.
Bobo was Siena's star of the contest, scoring a team-best 16 kills, while adding six digs, four service aces and three block assists from off the bench. Kathi Kobayashi led the Saints with 15 digs, while Kau'i Robello added 14.
Overall, the Saints out-hit the Cardinals .312 (65-17-154) to .160 (59-31-175). Siena also held a 69-to-61 lead in digs, while both teams recorded eight aces and seven total blocks.
The Ball State women's volleyball team looks to snap its five-match losing streak Friday, when it hosts Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. in the opening match of the Ball State Classic, which also features Illinois State.
