Wednesday, November 17
Toledo, OH
6 p.m.
Ball State University
27-3,17-1MAC
3
at
0
Toledo
19-11,10-8MAC
1
2
3
F
Ball St.
25
25
25
3
Toledo
23
20
22
0
Volleyball Sweeps Toledo; Heads Into MAC Tournament With NCAA-Leading 27 Wins
November 17, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
TOLEDO, Ohio - - With a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) sweep at Toledo in Wednesday night Mid-American Conference action, the Ball State women's volleyball team put a nice bow on the 2021 regular season.
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The Cardinals (27-3; 17-1 MAC) claimed the 2021 MAC regular season championship outright. Extended its winning streak to 17 matches, which ties as the third-longest active streak in the nation and as the second-longest in program history. Upped its win total to 27, the most in NCAA Division I women's volleyball so far this season and the fifth-most in a single season in BSU annals.
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"I'm just so proud of this team," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "Every player works hard, trusts one another, enjoys one another, and it just makes it a really fun group to coach. They train hard and don't get distracted by external things. They are mentally tough, competitive and just a really amazing group of women who have earned this MAC title."
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But for all the accomplishments, there is still work to be done if the Cardinals want to achieve its ultimate goal; a berth in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championships.Â
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"We know next week the season starts over," Phillips said. "We have to continue to work hard this week in practice, build our confidence, and we know we still have to work to get better between now and then. We have learned a ton about ourselves this season and we just have to keep trusting, working and let it fly in the tourney."
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That work will start Monday at 4:30 p.m. for Ball State when it hosts the semifinals of the 2021 MAC Volleyball Championships inside Worthen Arena. By virtue of locking up the top seed and hosting rights, the Cardinals also secured a first-round bye in the event.
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While the Cardinals were able leave Savage Arena with a sweep Wednesday, the Rockets (19-11, 10-8 MAC) did test Ball State throughout the night.
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"Toledo came out really hot out the gate and I thought it took us half a set to really get into rhythm," Phillips said. "Once we settled down, started playing BSU defense, then good things started to happen."
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UT, which is one of five other teams who will join BSU in Worthen Arena next week for the MAC Tournament, limited the Cardinals to a .214 (39-15-112) attack percentage. However, that did not stop Ball State from victory, as the team rallied from down late in the first and third sets to secure the sweep.
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Toledo led 21-19 in the opening set, only to have a kill from opposite Natalie Mitchem and back-to-back Rockets attack errors give Ball State a 22-21 edge. With the score tied at 23, outside Natalie Risi made perhaps the biggest play of the night, with an impressive solo block to give BSU set point. She would go on to add the frame-winning kill in the next rally.
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After a second set which in which Ball State led the entirety, Toledo would test the Cardinals again leading 20-18 in the third. However, three straight Risi kills shifted the momentum back to Ball State, who went on to win the frame 25-22.
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Risi finished the night with a team-high nine kills, to go along with a match-best two solo blocks. Overall, Ball State was once again able to effectively spread out its offensive attack, with six different players recording at least four kills.
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"Risi was really clutch tonight," Phillips added. "She was swinging with confidence and her competitive poise tonight really impressed me. She does so many little things for our team and when we really needed her to tonight, she stepped up big time."
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Mitchem was second on the squad with eight, while outside Jaclyn Bulmahn added seven. The middle duo for junior Marie Plitt and sophomore Lauren Gilliland added six and five, respectively, while setter Megan Wielonski was credited with four.
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Ball State's defense also turned in a solid effort, limiting Toledo to a .181 (47-24-127) hitting mark. Libero Maggie Huber paced the squad with 16 digs, while defensive specialist Havyn Gates added 11.
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Toledo's Taylor Alt led all players with 16 kills, while libero Rhyen Neal earned a match-best 17 digs.
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Another factor in the win, was Ball State's strong serving, including five total aces. Senior defensive specialist Cathryn Starck led the team with two aces, while Wielonski was one of three Cardinals with one. That raised Wielonski's MAC-leading ace total to 50.
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The Cardinals (27-3; 17-1 MAC) claimed the 2021 MAC regular season championship outright. Extended its winning streak to 17 matches, which ties as the third-longest active streak in the nation and as the second-longest in program history. Upped its win total to 27, the most in NCAA Division I women's volleyball so far this season and the fifth-most in a single season in BSU annals.
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"I'm just so proud of this team," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "Every player works hard, trusts one another, enjoys one another, and it just makes it a really fun group to coach. They train hard and don't get distracted by external things. They are mentally tough, competitive and just a really amazing group of women who have earned this MAC title."
Â
But for all the accomplishments, there is still work to be done if the Cardinals want to achieve its ultimate goal; a berth in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championships.Â
Â
"We know next week the season starts over," Phillips said. "We have to continue to work hard this week in practice, build our confidence, and we know we still have to work to get better between now and then. We have learned a ton about ourselves this season and we just have to keep trusting, working and let it fly in the tourney."
Â
That work will start Monday at 4:30 p.m. for Ball State when it hosts the semifinals of the 2021 MAC Volleyball Championships inside Worthen Arena. By virtue of locking up the top seed and hosting rights, the Cardinals also secured a first-round bye in the event.
Â
While the Cardinals were able leave Savage Arena with a sweep Wednesday, the Rockets (19-11, 10-8 MAC) did test Ball State throughout the night.
Â
"Toledo came out really hot out the gate and I thought it took us half a set to really get into rhythm," Phillips said. "Once we settled down, started playing BSU defense, then good things started to happen."
Â
UT, which is one of five other teams who will join BSU in Worthen Arena next week for the MAC Tournament, limited the Cardinals to a .214 (39-15-112) attack percentage. However, that did not stop Ball State from victory, as the team rallied from down late in the first and third sets to secure the sweep.
Â
Toledo led 21-19 in the opening set, only to have a kill from opposite Natalie Mitchem and back-to-back Rockets attack errors give Ball State a 22-21 edge. With the score tied at 23, outside Natalie Risi made perhaps the biggest play of the night, with an impressive solo block to give BSU set point. She would go on to add the frame-winning kill in the next rally.
Â
After a second set which in which Ball State led the entirety, Toledo would test the Cardinals again leading 20-18 in the third. However, three straight Risi kills shifted the momentum back to Ball State, who went on to win the frame 25-22.
Â
Risi finished the night with a team-high nine kills, to go along with a match-best two solo blocks. Overall, Ball State was once again able to effectively spread out its offensive attack, with six different players recording at least four kills.
Â
"Risi was really clutch tonight," Phillips added. "She was swinging with confidence and her competitive poise tonight really impressed me. She does so many little things for our team and when we really needed her to tonight, she stepped up big time."
Â
Mitchem was second on the squad with eight, while outside Jaclyn Bulmahn added seven. The middle duo for junior Marie Plitt and sophomore Lauren Gilliland added six and five, respectively, while setter Megan Wielonski was credited with four.
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Ball State's defense also turned in a solid effort, limiting Toledo to a .181 (47-24-127) hitting mark. Libero Maggie Huber paced the squad with 16 digs, while defensive specialist Havyn Gates added 11.
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Toledo's Taylor Alt led all players with 16 kills, while libero Rhyen Neal earned a match-best 17 digs.
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Another factor in the win, was Ball State's strong serving, including five total aces. Senior defensive specialist Cathryn Starck led the team with two aces, while Wielonski was one of three Cardinals with one. That raised Wielonski's MAC-leading ace total to 50.
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Team Stats
BSU
UT
Kills
39
47
Errors
15
24
Attempts
112
127
Hitting %
.214
.181
Points
51
57
Assists
36
42
Aces
5
2
Blocks
7
8
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH / OPP
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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