Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
11-17 (6-7MAC)
Toledo
12-14 (4-9MAC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo | 25 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 18 | 3 |
| Ball State | 21 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 2 |
Toledo Slips Past Volleyball; 3-2
November 06, 2008 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Despite a career-high 17 kills from freshman Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.), the Ball State women's volleyball team suffered a 3-2 (25-21, 18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 18-16) setback to Toledo Thursday night at Worthen Arena.
With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 11-17 (6-7 Mid-American Conference) on the season. Toledo, which snapped a 42-match losing streak to BSU, improves to 12-14 (4-9 MAC) with the victory.
In addition to her career-high 17 kills, Boyd tied for match-high honors with teammate Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.) with five total blocks. Boyd also hit .389 (17-3-36) in the contest, marking the 12th match this season she has hit over .300.
McGinnis added 52 assists and 14 digs to her stat line, for her 15th assist/dig double-double of the season. Hannah Sullivan (New Albany, Ind./New Albany H.S.) turned in her fourth double-double of the year, smashing 12 kills to go along with 14 digs. Sullivan also recorded the match's only solo blocks, posting two.
Rounding out BSU's double-digit attackers was Alisha Green (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest H.S.), who racked up 14 markers. Alyssa Rio (Wayne, Ill./St. Francis H.S.) paced all players with 24 digs, while Christie Waters (Muncie, Ind./Burris Laboratory School) added 11.
Toledo's 1-2 punch of Shannon Strachen and Stephanie Kersting each collected a match-high 18 kills, while Amber DeWeerdt added 11. Defensively, the UT backcourt was paced by DeWeerdt's 22 digs.
Ball State scored the first three points in the opening set, and maintained the three-point lead at the 11-8 mark. However, the Rockets responded with the next six points off the service of Lori Ruth to pull ahead 14-11. After trailing by as many as five points, the Cardinals rallied within one at 21-20, only to see Toledo score four of the final five points and win the set on a DeWeerdt kill.
With Toledo leading 4-2 in the second frame, four-straight BSU kills - - including one from McGinnis and Boyd and two from Green - - gave the Cardinals a 6-4 advantage. With Ball State leading 11-6, McGinnis blasted three-straight service aces to remove any doubt from the set. BSU went on to win the frame 25-18.
The third frame was the closest of the night with 13 ties and 10 lead changes, as the teams battled to a 22-22 deadlock. A kill from Boyd and a UT attack error gave BSU set point at 24-22, while another DeWeerdt kill pushed the score to 24-23. However, a Toledo attack error gave the Cardinals the set at 25-23.
Ball State played to a 14-12 advantage in the fourth set, only to see five-straight Toledo points, including a pair of kills from Kersting, give the Rockets a 16-14 lead in the frame. BSU would draw within one point on the next play, and again at 18-17, only to see UT pull away at the end, winning the frame 25-20 on DeWeerdt's second set-winning kill.
After some back-and-forth play early in the frame, the Cardinals looked poised to extend their winning streak over the Rockets after playing to a 14-11 advantage in the fifth set. However, Toledo senior Strachen would not be denied her first career victory over the hosts Cardinals, collecting a kill and an ace to help UT tie the set at 14.
Kills from Ball State's Julie Breivogel (Boonville, Ind./Boonville H.S.) and Green gave the Cardinals two more attempts at match point, but with BSU leading 16-15, a kill and a block assists from the Rocket's Stephanie Kersting gave the guests their first match point. BSU followed with an attack error, giving Toledo its first win over Ball State since 1986.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Sunday afternoon with a rare 1 p.m. first serve against Akron. BSU can secure a home match in the upcoming 2008 MAC Tournament with a win in the contest.
