Ball State University
10-2
Sacred Heart
9-3
Volleyball Rebounds With 3-1 Win Over Sacred Heart
September 17, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - - Thanks in part to a career-high 10 total blocks (one solo and nine assists) from sophomore middle blocker Mindy Marx (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven H.S.), the Ball State women's volleyball team rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21) victory over Sacred Heart in Saturday's morning session of the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State.
With her effort at the net, Marx becomes the first player to record double-digit blocks in a match for the Cardinals since Sept. 6, 2006. In addition to Marx's effort, sophomore outside hitter Whitney Heeres (Flushing, Mich./Flushing Senior H.S.) finished the match with a career-high five total blocks (one solo and four assists).
Ball State, which improved to 10-2 with the victory, tallied 15 team blocks in the contest, which is the highest team mark since Nov. 8, 2009.
From the attack line, BSU junior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community) pace all players with 15 kills, while adding nine digs, a career-high tying four block assists, an ace and a .394 (15-2-33) hitting mark.
Also collecting double-digit kills for the Cardinals was senior middle blocker/right side hitter Jennifer Boyd (Evans, City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.) with 10. Boyd also turned in a .471 (10-2-17) hitting mark and scored three total blocks.
In the backcourt, sophomore libero Catie Fredrich (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls H.S.) collected a match-best 19 digs, marking the ninth straight match she has led all players in digs.
Kimmee Roleder paced the Pioneers, who fell to 9-3 with the loss, with 14 kills while Elise Sage added 11 markers. Jessica Colberg collected a team-best 15 digs.
As a team, the Cardinals held a .252 (46-18-111) to .188 (49-24-133) hitting advantage, while out-blocking SHU 15-4. BSU also held a 47-37 edge in digs.
Sacred Heart scored four of the first five points in the opening set, only to have BSU charge back and take a 7-6 lead on a kill from Heeres. Ball State remained within one point at the 18-17 mark after a kill from Bates, only to see SHU score seven of the final nine points to win the set 25-19.
The second set was a hard-fought battle, with the teams playing to a 23-23 stalemate. A Sacred Heart service error gave BSU set-point at the 24-23 mark, while a solo block from Heeres won the frame for the Cardinals on the next rally and evened the match at 1-1.
The third game was another close battle early, with the teams playing to a 17-17 tie. However, back-to-back blocks from Marx and Boyd gave BSU the momentum and a 19-17 lead. From there, the Cardinals scored six of the final eight points and won the frame 25-19 on a Fredrich service ace.
With the score of the fourth frame tied at 15-15, kills from Bates and Boyd pushed Ball State ahead 17-15. The Cardinals held a three-point advantage at the 21-18 mark, but after a SHU timeout, the Pioneers rallied back within one at 22-21. BSU answered with back-to-back blocks from Heeres and Marx, and went on to win the frame 25-21 on Heeres' sixth and final kill of the night.
The Ball State women's volleyball team concludes play in the Spartan Invitational later this evening with a 5:30 p.m. first serve versus Virginia Commonwealth.
