Ball State University
11-2
Virginia Commonwealth
4-9
Women's Volleyball Tops VCU 3-1 In Saturday Nightcap
September 18, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - - Ball State women's volleyball junior transfer Kara Bates scored a BSU career-high 19 kills to help guide the Cardinals to a 3-1 (25-21, 27-25, 20-25, 25-18) victory over Virginia Commonwealth in Saturday's nightcap at the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State.
BSU ended tournament play with a 2-1 record to improve to 11-2 this season. VCU went 0-3 in the tournament to drop to 4-9.
In addition to her 19 kills, Bates finished the match with a .333 (19-6-39) hitting mark while adding eight digs and a pair of blocks.
For her efforts in the two-day Spartan Invitational, Bates was named to the event's all-tournament team. She was joined on the squad by senior setter Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.).
Also collecting double-digit kills for the Cardinals were senior Kelsey Brandl with 13 and sophomore Whitney Heeres with 10. Brandl also finished the contest with a .524 (13-2-21) hitting mark and three blocks.
McGinnis led the Cardinals to a .318 (62-21-129) hitting effort over VCU, dishing out a match-best 50 assists. She also posted a .833 (5-0-6) mark from the attack line, while adding six digs and a match-best three aces.
Sophomore libero Catie Fredrich added a team-high 11 digs, marking her 12th-consecutive match with double-digit digs.
VCU's Kristin Boyd led all players with 18 kills, while Jessica Warner added a match-best 13 digs.
Behind an ace from McGinnis and a kill from Heeres, the Cardinals jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the opening frame. The Cardinals stretched the lead to five points, at 16-11, off a kill from Brandl. BSU reached set-point at 24-19 off a kill from Bates. Three rallies later, another Bates blast ended the set at 25-21.
The teams battled to a 20-20 draw in the second frame, before a VCU attack error and a Fredrich service ace gave BSU a 22-20 lead. Kills from Brandl and Bates gave BSU its first set-point at 24-21. The Rams would not go down easy, answering with the next three points, tying the score at 24-24.
Another Bates kill gave BSU its fourth attempt to close out the set, but a kill from Courtney Hott kept the Rams alive. McGinnis gave Ball State its fifth set-point with a kill, while Heeres finally closed out the set with a kill of her own at 27-25.
The third set saw the teams battle to an 11-11 tie before a 4-0 run gave VCU control of the set. BSU would draw back within two, at 18-16, on another Fredrich ace, but could get no closer, losing the set 25-20.
Game four saw the teams play to a 12-12 deadlock, before back-to-back Brandl kills sparked a 6-0 run moving the score to 18-12. The Cardinals controlled play from there, winning the set 25-18 on Bates' 19th-marker of the contest.
The Ball State women's volleyball team opens Mid-American Conference play Thursday with a 7 p.m. first serve against Toledo at Worthen Arena.
