Ball State University Athletics
Volleyball Hosts IUPUI Wednesday on ESPN3
August 30, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
MATCH 4 • Ball State (0-3) hosts IUPUI (1-2)
Wednesday, Aug. 31 • 7 p.m. • Muncie, Ind.
Live Stats • ESPN3 Broadcast
• The Ball State women's volleyball program will be looking to win its eighth consecutive home opener Wednesday, when it hosts IUPUI in a 7 p.m. first serve at Worthen Arena ... The Cardinals have not dropped a home opener since a 3-1 setback to Southern Illinois on Sept. 5, 2008.
• Wednesday's match will mark the 2016 ESPN3 debut for the Ball State women's volleyball team ... The Cardinals will have 10 of its 13 home matches carried live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app, along with the possibility of a few road matches airing on the platform ... Last season, the Cardinals went 6-2 in matches aired on ESPN3, including wins in six of the seven matches broadcast from Worthen Arena.
• Wednesday's match will be one of six produced by Ball State University Media Services and will feature Joel Godett covering the play-by-play action and women's volleyball alumna (2007-10) and former student assistant coach (2011) Alyssa Rio serving as analyst.
• Ball State enters Wednesday's match with a 242-71 (.773) all-time record in matches played in Worthen Arena ... The 2015 season saw the Cardinals go 10-2 in home matches, including a 6-2 mark in Mid-American Conference play ... Ball State is 178-42 (.809) all-time versus MAC teams in Worthen Arena, with no MAC foe holding a winning record on the Cardinals' court.
• Ball State enters Wednesday's match with a 14-4 lead in the all-time series versus IUPUI, however one of the Jaguars' four wins was later vacated by the NCAA ... In the last meeting, IUPUI scored a 3-0 (29-27, 25-19, 25-18) homecourt victory on Sept. 2, 2015 to snap Ball State's five-match winning streak in the series ... The Cardinals own a 9-1 advantage in matches played in Muncie, including two consecutive wins ... IUPUI's lone win in Muncie came Sept. 9, 2008 by a score of 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-20).
• Sophomore outside hitter Ellie Dunn was named to the Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team after recording double digit kills in all three matches ... It was the second time Dunn has reached double figure kills in three consecutive matches over her career ... In addition, her team-leading 37 total kills last weekend were the most for Dunn in three consecutive matches, with the previous best being 34.
• Ellie Dunn also turned in an impressive performance at the net, leading the Ball State defense with 13 total blocks (all block assists) opening weekend ... Her 1.00 blocks-per-set average is currently tied for sixth in the MAC, while she scored a career high for rejections in back-to-back matches with five versus Murray State (Aug. 27) and six at Fort Wayne (Aug. 27).
• Redshirt sophomore middle hitter Avery Devoe also had a solid opening weekend at the net, tallying 12 total blocks to tie Dunn for sixth in the MAC with a 1.00 blocks-per-set average ... Devoe recorded career-high blocking totals in all three matches last weekend, starting with two versus Youngstown State (Aug. 26), four versus Murray State (Aug. 27) and six at Fort Wayne (Aug. 27).
• After missing the 2015 season due to injury, redshirt junior Sabrina Mangapora returned to the court to lead the Ball State offense with 109 attack attempts last weekend ... After appearing in just the third set versus Youngstown State, Mangapora played in all 10 sets Saturday ... She finished the weekend with season-highs of 17 kills, six digs and four total blocks at Fort Wayne (Aug. 27).
• Ball State freshman setter Amber Seaman opened her collegiate career with three consecutive assist/dig double-doubles at the Fort Wayne Invitational ... Her best match came versus host Fort Wayne (Aug. 27), when she logged career-highs of 45 assists, 22 digs, five kills and four service aces ... The last time a Ball State setter opened the season with three consecutive double-doubles was the 2013 season when Jackie Seidel (2010-13) accomplished the task versus Gardner Webb (Aug. 24), VCU (Aug. 25) and Illinois State (Aug. 25).
• Amber Seaman's 22 digs at Fort Wayne (Aug. 27) are the most for a Ball State setter in a match in the rally scoring era ... The previous mark was 21 set by Jackie Seidel (2010-13)versus Toledo (Oct. 3, 2013) ... In addition, the 22 digs are the most for a Ball State setter since Emily Sallee (1997-2000) recorded 26 at Bowling Green on Sept. 22, 2000, which is tied as the program record for digs for a setter ... Wendy Carter (1993-96) also tallied 26 digs versus Bowling Green on Nov. 18, 1994.
• Freshman defensive specialist Kate Avila finished the Murray State (Aug. 27) match with a career-high 17 digs after taking over as the team's libero in the second set ... She continued as the team's libero at Fort Wayne (Aug. 27), adding 10 digs ... Avila led Ball State's primary passers with a .966 (56-for-58) reception percentage at the Fort Wayne Invitational, while ranking third on the team with 27 total digs.
• Ball State's 2016 freshman class was named a PrepVolleyball.com Top 30 Recruiting Class Honorable Mention ... Combined, the five helped guide their programs to four Indiana High School Athletics Association (IHSAA) state championship titles, a pair of IHSAA state runner-up finishes and one national championship ... Ball State's 2016 freshman class includes: Seaman, DS Kate Avila from Yorktown, OH/DS Anna Jensen from Indianapolis Cathedral, DS Hannah Smith from Wapahani and MH Sydnee VanBeek from Illiana Christian.
