Ball State University
10-11 (3-5MAC)
Ohio
12-8 (7-1MAC)
Women?s Volleyball Swept By Ohio
October 14, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team suffered a 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-12) setback to Ohio Saturday evening at Worthen Arena.
With the loss, the Cardinals end the first half of the Mid-American Conference season with a 10-11 (3-5 MAC) record. The Bobcats improve to 12-8 (7-1 MAC) with their seventh consecutive league victory.
"Ohio is an experienced, high-caliber team that played a rugged preseason schedule," said Ball State head coach Steve Shondell. "We knew we were not favored in this game, especially given our injuries, but I thought we played very competitively in the first two sets. Ohio's bread and butter is their outside attack and we were able to neutralize that tonight. Unfortunately, their middles got away from us."
Senior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community/Maryland) was the only player to record double-digit kill in the contest, smashing 11 to go along with four digs, an ace and a block assist.
Redshirt freshman opposite attacker Hayley Benson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) also turned in another solid performance with eight kills and a pair of block assists.
Freshman defensive specialist Taylor Richardson (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) led the BSU defense with eight digs, while freshman defensive specialist Kati Vasalakis (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) made her first career start at libero and collected six digs.
Ohio's Kelly Lamberti and Karin Bull tied for team-high honors with nine kills, while three players, including Lamberti tied for match-high honors with nine digs.
Offensively, the Bobcats out-hit the Cardinals .292 (40-12-96) to .170 (35-17-106) in the contest, while also holding a 47-35 advantage in team digs. OU also out-blocked the Cardinals 8.0-4.0.
While Ball State pulled ahead 7-3 early in the opening set, the Bobcats battled back to even the score at 15. From there, the teams played to a 19-19 stalemate before a three-point Ohio run gave the guests the edge. The Cardinals would claw back within one point, at 24-23, only to have a Serena Warner kill end the set on the next rally.
Ohio pulled out to an 18-12 lead in the second stanza, only to see Ball state fight its way back within two at 24-22. Unfortunately, the Bobcats ended the frame at 25-22 on an Abby Gilleland kill.
While Bates gave BSU the first point of the third set, Ohio would answer with eight of the next nine to take control. Ball State would get as close as four points, at 12-8, only to see the Bobcats end the match with a 13-4 run.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to the road next weekend for matches at Bowling Green (Friday at 7 p.m.) and Miami (Saturday at 5 p.m.).
"We are hoping to get all of our players healthy for next weekend," added Shondell. "We have to regroup and we know we have a tough road ahead but as long as we play like we are supposed to we will be fine."
