Wednesday, November 24
Muncie, Ind.
4:30 PM
Ball State University
29-3,17-1MAC
3
vs
2
No. 2 Bowling Green
21-9,16-2MAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Bowling Green
23
31
16
25
7
2
Ball St.
25
29
25
21
15
3
NCAA BOUND! Ball State Tops Bowling Green in MAC Championship Title Match
November 24, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - For the second time in the last three years, the Ball State women's volleyball team is heading to the NCAA Division I Championship.
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With a 3-2 (25-23, 29-31, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7) victory over Bowling Green Wednesday afternoon in the title match of the 2021 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championships, the Cardinals (29-3) clinched their eighth tournament title (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2019 and 2021).
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"It's such a great feeling," Ball State head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "You're just working day in and day out and you can taste it. It's so close. To be able to play in the NCAA Tournament again is going to be an awesome feeling.
"This group has worked really, really hard to put themselves in that position. We're excited and we're ready for it. We're not done yet."
Natalie Risi led the way with a season-best 19 kills and added 13 digs to complete her fourth double-double of the season. She was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and was a member of the All-Tournament Team.
"I want to thank my teammates," the junior from Clarkston, Mich. said after the match. "They're the ones who push me every day in practice and set me up for success. It's a team effort, and they're the reason why I got it."
Joining Risi with a double-double was Megan Wielonski, who contributed a career-best 64 assists and 20 digs for her 16th double-double in her first season with the Cardinals.
Jaclyn Bulmahn and Marie Plitt added 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Plitt led the charge at the net defensively with one solo block and six block assists.
Natalie Mitchem rounded out the Ball State's quartet of double-digit kills with 11. She also contributed three block assists.
In addition to Risi, Plitt and Wielonski were tabbed to the All-Tournament Team.
Ball State extended its winning streak to 19 matches and will enter the NCAA Championship as one of the nation's winningest programs.
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As of Wednesday night, the Cardinals' 29 overall wins were the most of any NCAA Division I women's volleyball program, while its 19-match winning streak is tied as the fourth-longest active streak in the nation.
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Ball State returns to the NCAA Championship for the second time under Phillips, as she also led the Cardinals to the tournament in 2019 with a 3-2 win at Bowling Green in the title match of the MAC Volleyball Championship. It will be Ball State's 10th all-time NCAA appearance, with the Cardinals owning a 2-9 all-time record in NCAA tournament action.
Ball State will learn its NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship destination Sunday, Nov. 28 during the NCAA Selection Show, which begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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CHAMPS! @BallStateWVB extended its winning streak to 19 matches and will enter the @NCAAVolleyball Championship as one of the nation's winningest programs (29-3)! #ChirpChirp | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/TgJx5FOnjv
— #MACtion (@MACSports) November 25, 2021
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With a 3-2 (25-23, 29-31, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7) victory over Bowling Green Wednesday afternoon in the title match of the 2021 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championships, the Cardinals (29-3) clinched their eighth tournament title (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2019 and 2021).
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It's a ?? PARTY ?? IN MUNCIE??
— Ball State Volleyball ?? (@BallStateWVB) November 25, 2021
Here's another look at CHAMPIONSHIP POINT for Your Cardinals #ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/WtqZDkNjdd
"It's such a great feeling," Ball State head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "You're just working day in and day out and you can taste it. It's so close. To be able to play in the NCAA Tournament again is going to be an awesome feeling.
"This group has worked really, really hard to put themselves in that position. We're excited and we're ready for it. We're not done yet."
Natalie Risi led the way with a season-best 19 kills and added 13 digs to complete her fourth double-double of the season. She was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and was a member of the All-Tournament Team.
"I want to thank my teammates," the junior from Clarkston, Mich. said after the match. "They're the ones who push me every day in practice and set me up for success. It's a team effort, and they're the reason why I got it."
Joining Risi with a double-double was Megan Wielonski, who contributed a career-best 64 assists and 20 digs for her 16th double-double in her first season with the Cardinals.
Jaclyn Bulmahn and Marie Plitt added 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Plitt led the charge at the net defensively with one solo block and six block assists.
Natalie Mitchem rounded out the Ball State's quartet of double-digit kills with 11. She also contributed three block assists.
In addition to Risi, Plitt and Wielonski were tabbed to the All-Tournament Team.
Ball State extended its winning streak to 19 matches and will enter the NCAA Championship as one of the nation's winningest programs.
Â
As of Wednesday night, the Cardinals' 29 overall wins were the most of any NCAA Division I women's volleyball program, while its 19-match winning streak is tied as the fourth-longest active streak in the nation.
Â
Ball State returns to the NCAA Championship for the second time under Phillips, as she also led the Cardinals to the tournament in 2019 with a 3-2 win at Bowling Green in the title match of the MAC Volleyball Championship. It will be Ball State's 10th all-time NCAA appearance, with the Cardinals owning a 2-9 all-time record in NCAA tournament action.
Ball State will learn its NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship destination Sunday, Nov. 28 during the NCAA Selection Show, which begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Team Stats
BGSU
BSU
Kills
76
76
Errors
20
18
Attempts
208
206
Hitting %
.269
.282
Points
88
94
Assists
73
75
Aces
3
9
Blocks
9
9
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
19
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
17
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH / OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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