Team Effort Helps Volleyball Rally Past CMU

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - - It was another slow start for the Ball State women's volleyball team Saturday night, but for the second straight match the Cardinals rallied past a Mid-American Conference West Division rival by scoring a 3-2 (15-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-10) victory at Central Michigan.

Thanks to Saturday's win, the Cardinals (11-15; 7-5 MAC) officially punched their ticket to the eight-team 2016 MAC Tournament hosted by Northern Illinois Nov. 17-20. With four league matches remaining, Akron (2-10 MAC) and Buffalo (2-10 MAC) cannot catch Ball State. In addition, only one team between CMU (9-15; 3-9 MAC), Eastern Michigan (3-9 MAC) and Western Michigan (3-9 MAC) can reach seven wins as CMU and EMU play each other (Nov. 10) and also have a match remaining versus WMU.

Ball State entered the weekend with a 1-13 record in matches in which it lost the opening set, but threw that statistic out the window Friday by rallying for a 3-1 victory at Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals took it one step further Saturday, dropping the first two sets for the eighth time this season. Ball State was winless in such matches until pulling out the final three sets versus the Chippewas.

It was the tale of two teams Saturday, as Ball State hit just .194 (22-10-62) in the opening two sets while allowing Central Michigan connect for a .400 (30-6-60) attack percentage.

After the break, however, first-year head coach Kelli Miller's squad came out inspired and hit .308 (41-8-104) over the final three sets, including 13 kills and a .458 (13-2-24) attack percentage in the 15-point final set. BSU's defense also clicked at the end of the night, limiting CMU to a .175 (35-14-120) rate of success and collecting 60 of its 79 digs over the final three frames.

Key to the Cardinals' success on offense over the final three sets was the play of redshirt senior outside hitter Mackenzie Kitchel (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) who came off the bench to start the third and scored nine kills and hit a team-best .500 (9-0-18) the rest of the way.

Redshirt junior outside hitter Sabrina Mangapora (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) led the Ball State offense with 19 kills for the night, including six kills and a .750 (6-0-8) attack percentage in the fifth frame. She also collected five digs and a block assist.

Sophomore right side Brooklyn Goodsel (Corry, Pa./Corry Area) also turned in a strong match, smashing 16 kills and hitting .325 (16-3-40). She scored four kills and hit .571 (4-0-7) in the fifth set, while adding eight digs and a blocks assist in the match.

Freshman setter Amber Seaman (Carmel, Ind./Brebeuf) entered the match in the second set and finished the night with her team-leading 13th double-double of the season, logging 25 assists and collecting 11 digs.

Freshman libero Kate Avila (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) led the Ball State defense with 19 digs, while classmate Hannah Smith (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) added 13 and junior Bailey Baumer (Batesville, Ind./Batesville) scored 10.

The Ball State women's volleyball closes the road portion of its 2016 regular season schedule Thursday (Nov. 3) with a 7 p.m. first serve at Toledo on EPSN3. The Cardinals return home next Sunday (Nov. 6) for a 1 p.m. start against Akron also on ESPN3.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.

Ball State volleyball fans can purchase single match tickets (Adult - $6 / Youth - $4) by calling (888-BSU-TICKET) or visiting the Ball State's Stoops Buick/GMC Ticket Center inside Worthen Arena.

- BallStateSports.com -

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Team Stats

Sabrina Mangapora

Brooklyn Goodsel

Mackenzie Kitchel

Ellie Dunn

Players Mentioned

Kate Avila

Bailey Baumer

Brooklyn Goodsel

Mackenzie Kitchel

Sabrina Mangapora

Amber Seaman

Hannah Smith

Players Mentioned

Kate Avila

Bailey Baumer

Brooklyn Goodsel

Mackenzie Kitchel

Sabrina Mangapora

Amber Seaman

Hannah Smith