Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
8-13 (4-3MAC)
Kent State
13-7 (3-4MAC)
Kent State Slips Past Volleyball
October 17, 2008 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - After a thrilling come-from-behind victory last weekend at Northern Illinois, the Ball State women's volleyball team found out how hard it is to drop a heartbreaker Friday night, suffering a 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16, 20-18) setback to Kent State at Worthen Arena.
Despite a season-high tying 29 digs from sophomore libero Alyssa Rio (Wayne, Ill./St. Francis H.S.) and double-figure kills from three players, the Cardinals dropped their fourth five-set match of the season and fell to 8-13 (4-3 Mid-American Conference) on the year.
Kent State improved to 13-7 (3-4 MAC) with the victory, as Lauren Jones smashed a match-high 21 kills for the Golden Flashes.
Julie Breivogel (Boonville, Ind./Boonville H.S.) was BSU's top attacker in the contest, racking up 16 kills, while Alisha Green (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest H.S.) added 14 and Elaina Kakatolis (Arcanum, Ohio/Franklin Monroe H.S.) scored 13.
Breivogel also finished the match with 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season, while adding five total blocks, including a solo stuff. Christie Waters (Muncie, Ind./Burris Laboratory School) also recorded double-digit digs for BSU with 11.
Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.) also turned in a solid effort for BSU, posting 44 assists, while collecting seven digs, six kills, four blocks and a pair of service aces.
Kent State's Ashley Feutz and Krista Groce joined Jones with double-figure kills, collecting 16 and 12, respectively. Jones was also KSU's top defender, adding 17 digs, while Jenny Keck collected 13.
In the opening set, BSU jumped out to an early lead as kills from Breivogel and Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.) surrounded a pair of KSU attack errors and a Feutz kill to make the score 4-1. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Golden Flashes rallied off the next five points to pull ahead 6-4.
From there, a back-and-forth battle began, as the clubs found themselves deadlocked at 23-23 down the stretch. Ball State got first swing at set point, thanks to a kill from Kakatolis, and would not disappoint with Green planting the frame-winner.
Kent State answered in the second set, pulling ahead 7-1 and never looking back, winning the frame 25-19. Brianne Wille collected back-to-back service aces to end the set, while Jones and Feutz each tallied four kills in the stanza.
It was Ball State's turn to jump ahead early in the third set, as they once again scored four of the first five points, before building a five-point edge at 21-16. KSU did not go down without a fight, however, rattling off the next three points to get back within two at 21-19. The BSU edge remained two at the 23-21 mark, before a Breivogel kill and a Kent State attack error ended the set at 25-21.
The Golden Flashes found their momentum again in the fourth set, pulling ahead 5-1, before winning the most lopsided set of the night by a score of 25-16. With the Cardinals trailing 22-16 after a block assists from Boyd and Hannah Sullivan (New Albany, Ind./New Albany H.S.), three straight BSU miscues gave the visitors the set.
The fifth and final frame was the closest of the night, with 15 lead changes and seven ties. Neither team was able to lead by more than two points, as they played to a 13-13 tie. KSU was the first to reach match point after a BSU attack error, but failed to capitalize thanks to a Kakatolis kill.
The Golden Flashes would have two more attempts to end the match before kills from Kakatolis and Green gave BSU its first swing at the match with the score 17-16. Feutz denied the Cardinals the victory however, while Wille and Keck combined for a block to give KSU its fourth attempt to secure the win.
BSU's Green had one more kill in her arm to knot the score at 18-18, but it was not enough as a kill from Jones and a Breivogel attack error followed, giving Kent State a 20-18 set win, and a 3-2 match victory.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Saturday, with it hosts five-time defending MAC regular season champions Ohio in a 7 p.m. “Think Pink” showdown at Worthen Arena. All fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match, as the Cardinals look to promote breast cancer awareness.
