Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
8-7 (1-1MAC)
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Western Michigan
10-7 (2-0MAC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Ball State | 20 | 14 | 18 | 0 |
Women's Volleyball Swept By Western Michigan
September 27, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team (8-7, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) fell to league rival Western Michigan (10-7, 2-0 MAC) by a score of 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-18) Saturday evening at Worthen Arena.
"Western Michigan is a very tough team and their success the past few seasons has given them a winning mentality," said head coach Dave Boos. "Mentality was the key to tonight's match. We started out extremely focused, but when they pushed us late in the first set we did not respond. Our mindset got the best of us tonight."
BSU was led offensively by senior Alisha Green (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest H.S.) who had a match-leading 14 kills. However, the Broncos were focused on shutting down BSU's potent middle attack and were able to limit the Cardinals middles to just 10 kills.
Overall, Western Michigan held the Cardinals to a .093 (32-22-107) attack percentage, while racking up 11.5 total blocks. The Broncos finished the night with a .355 (44-11-93) rate of success.
Defensively, sophomore Kaylee Schembra (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli H.S.) had a match-best 13 digs to lead the Cardinals backcourt. Sophomore Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.) directed the Cardinals offense with 26 assists, while adding a pair of kills and two digs.
Michelle Moore led the Broncos with 11 kills, while Allyson Doyle and Jessica Brown smashed nine each. Jillian Mitchell recorded a team-high 12 digs, while adding 37 assists at the team's setter.
The Cardinals held several four point leads early in the first set, as five kills from Green helped the Cardinals pull out to a 13-9 advantage. Moments later, a kill and service ace from sophomore Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North H.S.) helped give the Cardinals a 17-14 lead.
The Broncos responded with six straight points, including three kills from Brown, to move ahead 20-17. Despite kills from senior Julie Breivogel (Boonville, Ind./Boonville H.S.), junior Charde' Phillips (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria H.S.) and Brandl, WMU escaped set one with a 25-20 win on a solo block from Ashley Turnage.
The second set saw the same outcome but with a different storyline. The Cardinals never managed a lead in the second frame but remained competitive with the help of Green, who had four kills when BSU trailed just 13-11.
WMU began to pull away, notching a 7-1 run to lead the second set 21-12. BSU recorded two straight points courtesy of a McGinnis kill and a tag team block by Brandl and senior Elaina Kakatolis (Arcanum, Ohio/Franklin Monroe), but the Broncos scored the set's final four points, ending the frame at 25-14 and taking a 2-0 match lead.
The two squads remained close early in the third set as the Cardinals were led by a pair of Green kills. BSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead but the Broncos were able to stay within striking distance. The Cardinals led most of the early portion of the set, including another 17-14 advantage behind three more kills from Green.
However, a kill from Mitchell and strong serving from Brandie Merren led the Broncos on an 11-1 run to close the set at 25-18 and the match at 3-0.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday night when they travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. to challenge Central Michigan at 7 p.m.
