Ball State University
11-8, 5-1MAC
Buffalo
13-7, 3-3MAC
Strong Middle Play Lifts Volleyball Past Buffalo
October 12, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
BUFFALO, N.Y. - - The Ball State women's volleyball team turned another strong effort from its middle attackers into a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-23, 25-22) win over Buffalo Saturday night in Mid-American Conference action at Alumni Arena.
In helping the Cardinals improve to 11-8 (5-1 MAC), redshirt junior middle hitters Kelly Hopkins (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and Hayley Benson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) combined for 29 of the team's 56 kills and a .456 (29-3-57) attack percentage. Hopkins led all players with 15 kills, while Benson hit for a season-best .609 (14-0-23) rate of success. In addition, the duo had a hand in all 11 of the team's blocks, with Hopkins earning six block assists and Benson collecting five.
“Any time you make the long bus ride to Buffalo and come home with a victory is a great feeling,” Ball State head coach Steve Shondell said. “Buffalo is an outstanding team and as athletics as any we will face in the MAC. Tonight's battle was hard fought from start to finish. We are beginning to compete well under pressure, and that is a sign our team is maturing and beginning to believe in themselves. I am extremely proud of our team for the way we battled back from a 20-17 deficit to win the fourth set.”
The Cardinals used a pair of late-set runs to earn the victory, starting with the opening set. Trailing 22-20, Ball Sate capitalized on a Buffalo (13-7 / 3-3 MAC) service error and back-to-back kills from Hopkins to pull ahead 23-22. Redshirt junior Alex Fuelling (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont/Morehead State) followed with another blast, and after a Buffalo kill, Hopkins' fifth marker of the match ended the frame at 25-23.
Buffalo pulled ahead 5-1 in the second set, and never looked back, winning the game 25-17. The teams battled to a 13-13 tie in the third set, before a four-point Cardinals run gave the guests the momentum. Ball State went on to win the game 25-23 on another big blast from Hopkins.
The host Bulls looked well on their way to tying the match at two sets apiece, holding a 20-16 edge in the fourth set. However, another pivotal kill from Hopkins and some strong serving from Fuelling helped the Cardinals rattle off the next seven points to pull ahead 23-20. A block from Hopkins and redshirt freshman outside hitter Sabrina Mangapora (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) gave Ball State match-point at 24-22, while Benson ended the contest with a smash to the Alumni Arena floor on the next rally.
In addition to the strong performances from Hopkins and Benson, Mangapora also finished the match with double-digit kills at 10. Junior setter Jenna Spadafora (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) led the Ball State offense to a .257 (56-20-140) attack percentage by handing out 49 assists, while also recorded six digs, five kills and four block assists.
In the backcourt, junior libero Kati Vasalakis (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) led all players with 20 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist Nikki Box (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) added 16.
Megan Lipski led the Buffalo attack with 13 kills and also collected a team-high 19 digs. As a team, Buffalo finished the contest with a .224 (56-23-147) attack percentage.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to Worthen Arena next weekend, when it hosts defending MAC regular season and tournament champion Ohio Friday, followed by Kent State Saturday. Both matches are slated to start at 7 p.m.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @SteveShondell on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
