Ball State University
Toledo
Volleyball Opens MAC Play With 3-1 Win Over Toledo
September 23, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team opened Mid-American Conference play with a 3-1 (25-16, 19-25, 26-24, 25-19) victory over Toledo Thursday evening at Worthen Arena.
With the win the Cardinals improved to 12-2 (1-0 MAC) for the season and ran the nations' fifth longest active homecourt winning streak to 18 matches. The Rockets fall to 5-8 (0-1 MAC) with the loss.
"It was a hard fought battle but a huge win for us tonight," said Ball State head coach Steve Shondell. "We knew Toledo was going to be an outstanding team, as they nearly beat No. 18 Michigan last week. I was thrilled to death to get this victory because I knew Toledo could beat anyone in our league. They made us work for it."
After a back-and-forth battle in the first two sets, the biggest play of the evening came off the arm of junior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community H.S./Maryland) when she broke a 24-24 tie in the third set with a kill. BSU went on to win the frame on the next play, before pulling out to an 18-8 lead in the fourth set.
"Kara came through with some big kills for us tonight," said Shondell. "She is getting more experience with our system and it shows. However, I was actually more pleased with her passing game. We are really working hard on her backcourt game and she turned in an impressive effort in that area tonight."
Bates would finish the contest with a match-best 18 kills, while turning in a solid performance at the net with three solo blocks. She also collected nine digs.
Also posting double-digit kills for the Cardinals were senior middle blocker/right side hitter Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.) and sophomore outside hitter Whitney Heeres (Flushing, Mich./Flushing Senior H.S.) with 10 and 13, respectively.
Boyd would lead all players with a .526 (10-0-19) hitting mark, while adding a team-high four total blocks. Heeres played a pivotal roll in the third-set win, helping the Cardinals rally from down 22-21 with three kills to give BSU its first set-point at 24-23.
Sophomore Lauren Grant (Eagan, Minn./Eastview H.S./Cincinnati) came off the bench in the final two sets and helped turn the tide with three kills and a pair of blocks.
In the backcourt, sophomore libero Catie Fredrich (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls H.S.) led all players with a season-high 23 digs.
Senior setter Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.) handed out 48 assists, while guiding the BSU offense to a .258 (62-22-155) rate of success.
Sondra Parys led the Toledo attack with 15 kills, while Dakota Harkins added 12. Jordan Kielty paced the Rockets with 17 digs.
As a team, the Cardinals limited Toledo to a .171 (44-20-140) hitting mark, and held a 67-62 edge in digs. UT held a 10-5 advantage in aces, while both teams collected 8.0 total blocks.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Saturday, when it travels to Akron for a 5 p.m. first sever versus the Zips.
