Ball State University
4-4
Creighton
6-1
Creighton Tops Women?s Volleyball In UNC Classic Opener
September 08, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team (4-4) opened play in the Northern Colorado Classic with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-21) loss to Creighton (6-1) Friday afternoon at UNC's Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion.
In the loss, senior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley, Ill./ Bradley Bourbonnais Community/Maryland) led the Ball State offense with eight kills, while three Cardinals recorded seven markers.
Among the BSU players with seven kills was redshirt freshman outside hitter Marquita Marshall (Muncie, Ind./Central) who was making her collegiate debut for the Cardinal and White. After coming in late in the second set to record a pair of kills, Marshall led the Ball State offense with five kills in the final set.
Also picking up seven kills for Ball State were senior transfer middle hitter Lisa Scott (McLean, Va./Langley) and junior opposite attacker Lauren Grant (Eagan, Minn./Eastview/Cincinnati).
Ball State junior libero Catie Fredrich (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) led all players with 16 digs and helped BSU hold a 40-30 edge in team digs.
However, it was Creighton's offense which dominated much of the match and finished with a .373 (48-10-102) attack percentage. Leah McNary led the Jays with 13 kills, while Melanie Jerbe and Heather Thorson added 12 and 11, respectively.
Ball State finished the match with a .158 (39-23-101) rate of success as a team, and was out-blocked 13.0-to-3.0. BSU did out-ace the Jays 3-to-2, with two of the aces coming from junior middle hitter Mindy Marx (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven).
A pair of kills from Bates helped the Cardinals jump out to a quick 5-1 advantage in the opening set, while a solo block and ace from Seidel moved the score to 7-2 in favor of BSU. The Jays would battle back within one point, at 15-14, only to have a pair of Ball State kills extend the lead back to three at 17-14.
Following its first timeout, Creighton would score the next two points and eventually take its first lead of the match at 22-21. Unfortunately, the Jays carried the momentum the remainder of the frame, scoring three of the final four points to win the set 25-22.
Creighton used blocks on three of the first four rallies to pull ahead 4-0 in the second set. Kills from Bates and Scott helped the Cardinals cut the lead in half, at 4-2. The Jays answered with the next two points and never looked back winning the set 25-14.
One highlight for the Cardinals in the second set came from Marshall who blasted back-to-back kills late in the frame in her first collegiate action.
Three kills from Bates helped the Cardinals play to an early 3-3 tie in the third set, while a kill from Marx gave BSU a slim 7-6 edge. However, Creighton scored the next five points and pulled ahead by six at the 17-11 mark.
A pair of blocks from Bates, one solo and one assisted by Scott, helped BSU battle within two points at 17-15. However, Ball State would get no closer, losing the set 25-21.
The Ball State women's volleyball team concludes play in the Northern Colorado Classic Saturday with matches versus tournament host Northern Colorado (Noon MT) and Tulsa (5 p.m. MT).
