Ball State University
15-12, 9-5MAC
Eastern Michigan
17-11, 8-6MAC
Eagles Stun Women's Volleyball With Comeback Victory
November 09, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
YPSILANTI, Mich. - - Despite a career-high 33 digs from junior libero Kati Vasalakis (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown), the Ball State women's volleyball team suffered a 3-2 (14-25, 25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10) setback at Eastern Michigan's Convocation Center Saturday night.
With the loss, the race for the fourth seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament got a little tighter as the Cardinals fall to 15-12 (9-5 MAC), while the Eagles move one match back at 17-8 (8-6 MAC).
“It is often said that defense wins championships, and Eastern Michigan's ability to keep the ball off the floor in the fifth game was the difference in the match,” Ball State head coach Steve Shondell said. “For two-and-a-half sets we played extremely well, but against an excellent team like EMU it was not enough. We had a great opportunity to take a two set lead, but played extremely soft at the end of the second set to let a very pivotal game slip away. We have learned a lot of lessons this season, but tonight may have been the most important lesson we have learned all year.”
After a dominating 25-14 victory in the opening set, Ball State found itself trailing 2-1 after Eastern Michigan rallied to win sets two (25-22) and three (25-21). With the score of the fourth set tied at 14, an EMU attack error, a solo block from junior setter Jenna Spadafora (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and back-to-back kills from redshirt freshman Sabrina Mangapora (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) helped the Cardinals post the next four points. Ball State went on to win the frame 25-20, on a kill from Spadafora, to force a deciding fifth set.
While Eastern Michigan scored the first four points of the fifth set, the Cardinals battled back and tie the score at six on a kill from Mangapora. Unfortunately, EMU scored the next three points and controlled play from there, winning the set 15-10 and the match 3-2.
Ball State redshirt junior middle blocker Hayley Benson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) turned in another solid outing, tying for match-high honors with 18 kills, while hitting for a match-best .457 (18-2-35) rate of success. She also led the Cardinals at the net with three total blocks; one solo and two assists.
Mangapora finished the night with 16 kills, while redshirt junior middle attacker Kelly Hopkins (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) capped a trio of Cardinals in double figures with 12 kills. Spadafora dished out 54 assists in the loss, and led Ball State to a .171 (63-31-187) attack percentage.
In addition to Vasalakis' career-high 33 digs, sophomore defensive specialist Nikki Box (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) and redshirt junior outside attacker Alex Fuelling (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont/Morehead State) added 16 and 11 digs, respectively. Fuelling also served up a match-high three aces.
Megan Crawshaw was the lone Eagles player to post double-digit kills, tying Benson for match-high honors with 18. Corynne Smith led the EMU defense with 25 digs. Overall, the Ball State defense limited the Eastern Michigan attack to a .128 (54-31-179) attack percentage.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Thursday at Toledo, before concluding the 2014 regular season Saturday with a home match versus Akron. Both contests are set for 7 p.m. first serves.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @SteveShondell on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
