Ball State University
20-3 (9-1MAC)
Bowling Green
17-7 (4-6MAC)
Women?s Volleyball Soars Past Falcons; 3-0
October 23, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The first-place Ball State women's volleyball team extended the nation's fifth-longest homecourt winning streak to 22 matches with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-20) sweep of visiting Bowling Green Saturday night at Worthen Arena.
With the win, the Cardinals also run their record to 20-3 (9-1 MAC) to become the first league school to reach 20 wins this season. The Falcons fall to 17-7 (4-6 MAC) with the loss.
"Coming out and winning the first set like we did was important after the way we let the lead get away last night," said Ball State head coach Steve Shondell. "I like the way we sustained the lead in the first game and the fight we showed to battle back and pull out the second set after trailing most of the way. I thought our defense did a nice job tonight, limiting a strong Bowling Green offense to well below their season hitting average."
Led by a team-high 16 digs from sophomore libero Catie Fredrich, the Cardinals defense limited the BGSU attack to a .142 (37-20-120) rate of success for the match. The Falcons entered the week ranked second in the MAC with a .258 team hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Jacqui Seidel also played a big role in the backcourt, racking up 10 digs, while senior setter Brittany McGinnis added eight. McGinnis also guided the Ball State offense to a .273 (47-14-121) hitting mark, dishing out 41 assists and adding three kills, a pair of blocks and a service ace.
Senior middle blocker Kelsey Brandl found her grove from the attack by tying teammate junior outside hitter Kara Bates for match-high honors with 14 kills. Brandl connected to a .542 (14-1-24) rate on offense and tallied a team-high three total blocks and a service ace. Bates hit .281 (14-5-32) for the match with three digs and a solo stuff.
Also turning in a strong night from the attack line was sophomore outside hitter Kylee Baker with seven kills to go along with nine digs. She also added a pair of service aces
Danielle Tonyan paced the Bowling Green attack with 12 kills, while BGSU libero Ashley Dunn earned a match-high 18 digs.
In addition to out-hitting the Falcons, Ball State held a 56-50 edge in digs, while serving up five aces compared to one for Bowling Green. BGSU held a 9-6 advantage in team blocks.
Behind the serving of Baker and a pair of Bates kills, the Cardinals jumped out to a 7-2 edge in the opening set. Bowling Green would battle back within three, at 9-6, before a 6-1 BSU run gave the momentum back to the hosts. BSU would go on to win the set 25-14 on a kill from Brandl.
The Falcons held an early 7-3 lead in the second set, and maintained a five-point advantage at the 16-11 mark. Ball State would charge back from there, tying the set at 19 on a Brandl solo block. With the score tied at 22-22, three BGSU attack errors over the next four rallies gave BSU the set at 25-23.
Ball State dominated the early portion of the third set, pulling out to a 9-1 lead. Bowling Green would cut the gap to three points at 19-16, and remain down by three at 23-20. However, they would get no closer as a Bates kill and a BGSU attack error ended the set at 25-20 and the match at 3-0.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Thursday, when it travels to Toledo for a 7 p.m. showdown versus the Rockets. BSU returns home Saturday for a 7 p.m. "Hawaiian Night" versus Buffalo.
