Saturday, September 1
Springfield, MO
8 p.m.
Ball State University
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Missouri State University
3-3
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Ball State
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25
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Missouri State
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Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
WVB’s Comeback Bid Falls Short at Missouri State
September 01, 2018 | Women's Volleyball
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - - Despite a dominating presence at the net, the Ball State women's volleyball team saw its three-match winning streak come to an end Saturday night with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 25-17) setback to Missouri State in the championship match of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at the Hammons Student Center.
The Cardinals (4-2) finished the night with a season-high 15.0 total blocks to limit the host Bears (3-3) to their lowest attack percentage of the weekend at .184 (59-27-174).
Unfortunately, after connecting for a .370 (154-34-324) attack percentage over the last three matches, the Ball State offense was limited to a season-low .095 (43-27-168) rate of success in the loss to Missouri State.
For their play in guiding the Cardinals to a runner-up finish at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational, junior middle Sydnee VanBeek and junior libero Kate Avila were named to the event's all-tournament team.
VanBeek led the charge on offense for the Cardinals in the tournament, blasting 40 total kills and hitting .419 (40-9-74) over the three matches. She logged a career-high 20 kills in Saturday's morning win over Oral Roberts and also led the Ball State defense with 10 total blocks on the weekend.
Avila notched double-digit digs in all three matches, including a team-high 19 against Missouri State, to finish the tournament with 51 digs for a 4.64 digs-per-set average. In addition, she only committed one reception error over the two days to lead Ball State's primary passers with a .977 (42-for-43) reception percentage.
In Saturday night's loss to the Bears, senior outside hitter Ellie Dunn was the lone Cardinals with double-figure kills, scoring 12. She also collected 12 digs for her second double-double of the day and her fourth of the season.
Head Coach Kelli Miller:
"There is a lot to learn from tonight's match. Missouri State is a physical team and we must continue to develop our shots in order to score consistently versus big blocks. I did like how we fought hard throughout the match, especially playing in a tough environment like Missouri State's Hammons Student Center."
"While we had a lot of contributions at the net, I thought Emily Holland was a big factor in our blocking success tonight. She executed the game plan very well."
"Sydnee and Kate were both big factors all weekend. Sydnee was very aggressive and worked to make herself an offensive option the entire time she was on the court. We will need her to play with that type of intensity consistently throughout the season. Kate played steady and controlled our back court throughout the weekend. She was a big factor in allowing our offense to hit for such a high percentage over the course of the tournament."
Inside the Numbers:
- While Ball State was limited to a .095 (43-27-168) attack percentage in the loss to Missouri State, the Cardinals still finished the tournament hitting .250 (149-50-396) as a team.
- Ball State's 15 total blocks were the most in a match since the team recorded 17 exactly one year ago today in a 3-1 home win versus Bradley (Sept. 1, 2017). In addition, the team's eight solo blocks were the most in a match since scoring nine in a 3-2 win at Western Michigan on Sept. 26, 2014.
- Sydnee VanBeek led the Cardinals at the net with six total blocks (two solo and four assists), while redshirt senior middle Meg Starling (three solo and one assists) and senior middle Emily Holland (one solo and three assists) were credited with four each. Ellie Dunn and sophomore outside hitter Kia Holder were also credited with solo blocks for Ball State.
- Junior libero Kate Avila's team-high 19 digs marked the 35th consecutive match, and the 64th time in her career, Avila has produced double-figure digs in a match.
- Overall, four Cardinals recorded double-digit digs in the contest led by 19 from Kate Avila, 12 from Ellie Dunn, 11 from junior defensive specialist Anna Jensen and a career-high 11 from freshman defensive specialist Cathryn Starck.
- Aubrey Cheffey led the Missouri State attack with a match-high 18 kills, while Emily Butters collected a match-best 32 digs.
Up Next:
The Ball State women's volleyball team opens a four-match homestand Friday, when it starts play in the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge with matches versus No. 17 Northern Iowa (10 a.m.) and North Dakota State (7:30 p.m.).
The Cardinals close the tournament Saturday with a 7 p.m. match versus in-state rival Indiana. Ball State concludes its homestand the following Tuesday (Sept. 11) with a 7 p.m. first serve versus another in-state foe in IUPUI.
Follow The Cardinals:
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
The Cardinals (4-2) finished the night with a season-high 15.0 total blocks to limit the host Bears (3-3) to their lowest attack percentage of the weekend at .184 (59-27-174).
Unfortunately, after connecting for a .370 (154-34-324) attack percentage over the last three matches, the Ball State offense was limited to a season-low .095 (43-27-168) rate of success in the loss to Missouri State.
For their play in guiding the Cardinals to a runner-up finish at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational, junior middle Sydnee VanBeek and junior libero Kate Avila were named to the event's all-tournament team.
VanBeek led the charge on offense for the Cardinals in the tournament, blasting 40 total kills and hitting .419 (40-9-74) over the three matches. She logged a career-high 20 kills in Saturday's morning win over Oral Roberts and also led the Ball State defense with 10 total blocks on the weekend.
Avila notched double-digit digs in all three matches, including a team-high 19 against Missouri State, to finish the tournament with 51 digs for a 4.64 digs-per-set average. In addition, she only committed one reception error over the two days to lead Ball State's primary passers with a .977 (42-for-43) reception percentage.
In Saturday night's loss to the Bears, senior outside hitter Ellie Dunn was the lone Cardinals with double-figure kills, scoring 12. She also collected 12 digs for her second double-double of the day and her fourth of the season.
Head Coach Kelli Miller:
"There is a lot to learn from tonight's match. Missouri State is a physical team and we must continue to develop our shots in order to score consistently versus big blocks. I did like how we fought hard throughout the match, especially playing in a tough environment like Missouri State's Hammons Student Center."
"While we had a lot of contributions at the net, I thought Emily Holland was a big factor in our blocking success tonight. She executed the game plan very well."
"Sydnee and Kate were both big factors all weekend. Sydnee was very aggressive and worked to make herself an offensive option the entire time she was on the court. We will need her to play with that type of intensity consistently throughout the season. Kate played steady and controlled our back court throughout the weekend. She was a big factor in allowing our offense to hit for such a high percentage over the course of the tournament."
Inside the Numbers:
- While Ball State was limited to a .095 (43-27-168) attack percentage in the loss to Missouri State, the Cardinals still finished the tournament hitting .250 (149-50-396) as a team.
- Ball State's 15 total blocks were the most in a match since the team recorded 17 exactly one year ago today in a 3-1 home win versus Bradley (Sept. 1, 2017). In addition, the team's eight solo blocks were the most in a match since scoring nine in a 3-2 win at Western Michigan on Sept. 26, 2014.
- Sydnee VanBeek led the Cardinals at the net with six total blocks (two solo and four assists), while redshirt senior middle Meg Starling (three solo and one assists) and senior middle Emily Holland (one solo and three assists) were credited with four each. Ellie Dunn and sophomore outside hitter Kia Holder were also credited with solo blocks for Ball State.
- Junior libero Kate Avila's team-high 19 digs marked the 35th consecutive match, and the 64th time in her career, Avila has produced double-figure digs in a match.
- Overall, four Cardinals recorded double-digit digs in the contest led by 19 from Kate Avila, 12 from Ellie Dunn, 11 from junior defensive specialist Anna Jensen and a career-high 11 from freshman defensive specialist Cathryn Starck.
- Aubrey Cheffey led the Missouri State attack with a match-high 18 kills, while Emily Butters collected a match-best 32 digs.
Up Next:
The Ball State women's volleyball team opens a four-match homestand Friday, when it starts play in the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge with matches versus No. 17 Northern Iowa (10 a.m.) and North Dakota State (7:30 p.m.).
The Cardinals close the tournament Saturday with a 7 p.m. match versus in-state rival Indiana. Ball State concludes its homestand the following Tuesday (Sept. 11) with a 7 p.m. first serve versus another in-state foe in IUPUI.
Follow The Cardinals:
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
Team Stats
BSU
MSU
Kills
43
59
Errors
27
27
Attempts
168
174
Hitting %
.095
.184
Points
60.0
73.0
Assists
40
54
Aces
2
4
Blocks
15.0
10.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballMH
/ Women's VolleyballMH
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