Monday, November 21
Muncie, IN
4:30 p.m.
Ball State University
24-7,15-3MAC
3
vs
1
Central Michigan
20-11,12-6MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Central Mich.
25
18
23
22
1
Ball St.
23
25
25
25
3
Team Stats
CMU
BSU
Kills
60
63
Errors
22
19
Attempts
169
164
Hitting %
.225
.268
Points
75
74
Assists
58
61
Aces
3
3
Blocks
12
8
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
21
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOPP
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
Heading To The ‘Ship; WVB Tops Central Michigan 3-1
November 21, 2022 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - They say it is hard to beat a team three times in the same season, and Ball State women's volleyball proved the adage true Monday afternoon in Worthen Arena.
The top-seeded Cardinals did so by opening the 2022 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22) victory over No. 4 Central Michigan in the first of two semifinal matches. The win avenged a pair of regular season losses to the Chippewas (20-11), who swept fifth-seed Toledo Sunday to secure its spot in the semifinals.
"It was a really tough win," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "I felt like Central Michigan was firing on all cylinders, especially in the first set. We really had to change what we were doing defensively, and it seemed like we couldn't slow them down. I was really pleased with our group on how we adjusted on the fly and were able to do some different thing defensively that I felt like made all the difference."
As Phillips said, it was not easy as the Cardinals found themselves trailing early after a 25-23 opening set win by the Chippewas. Ball State responded in a big way, however, hitting .425 (19-2-40) in a 25-18 second-set victory to even the match.
A tight third set would come down to a challenge, as the Chippewas appeared to even the score at 24-24 as a BSU attack attempt was called long. Junior Cait Snyder would be credited with the kill, however, as a touch was ruled to give Ball State a 2-1 set advantage.
The fourth frame was another battle, with CMU remaining within one at 23-22. The Cardinals used a timeout to put an end to a two-point Chippewas run, as senior opposite Natalie Mitchem blasted back-to-back kills to send Ball State to the MAC tournament championship match for the third time in the last four seasons.
"It was a really tough battle," Phillips added. "I'm proud of our group for staying the course and finding a way to win."
Snyder, who was named First Team All-MAC for her play over the course of the league season, led all attackers with a career-high 21 kills. She also hit a solid .259 (21-7-54) in the match, while adding three digs and three total blocks.
"This was step one," Snyder said following her career night. "We had to get past tonight to get to tomorrow. We're not trying to think ahead too much; taking each match one set at a time, one point at a time."
After her two kills to end the match, Mitchem, an All-MAC Second Team honoree, finished the contest with 15 markers and a .263 (15-5-58) attack percentage.
Two-time First Team All-MAC selection and senior middle Marie Plitt added 15 kills of her own, while pacing all players with a .448 (15-2-29) hitting mark.
"It's kind of now or never," Plitt said after the match. "After losing that first set, we were like we have to change something or we're going to be done. That was in the back of our heads, that we need to step it up, play better, and play on our side of the net."
Rounding out Ball State's top attackers was junior middle Lauren Gilliland with eight kills. She also added a team-high five total blocks.
Sophomore setter Megan Wielonski, the 2022 MAC Setter of the Year and a two-time First Team All-MAC honoree, dished out 54 assists and added 10 digs for her team-leading 19th double-double of the season. Her effort helped the Cardinals hit .268 (63-19-164) on the day.
Overall, senior libero Maggie Huber led the Ball State defense with 30 digs and was a perfect 30-for-30 in serve receive. She also served up a pair of aces and handed out five assists. Rounding out Ball State's defenders with double-digit digs was senior outside Natalie Risi at 14.
Mallory Hernandez led the Central Michigan attack with 18 kills, including nine in the first-set victory. Aly Gurtiza paced the Chippewas backcourt with 26 digs. Overall, the CMU offense connected for a .225 (60-22-169) rate of success in the match.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. when it hosts Bowling Green in the MAC Volleyball Championship Match in Worthen Arena.
The top-seeded Cardinals did so by opening the 2022 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22) victory over No. 4 Central Michigan in the first of two semifinal matches. The win avenged a pair of regular season losses to the Chippewas (20-11), who swept fifth-seed Toledo Sunday to secure its spot in the semifinals.
"It was a really tough win," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "I felt like Central Michigan was firing on all cylinders, especially in the first set. We really had to change what we were doing defensively, and it seemed like we couldn't slow them down. I was really pleased with our group on how we adjusted on the fly and were able to do some different thing defensively that I felt like made all the difference."
As Phillips said, it was not easy as the Cardinals found themselves trailing early after a 25-23 opening set win by the Chippewas. Ball State responded in a big way, however, hitting .425 (19-2-40) in a 25-18 second-set victory to even the match.
A tight third set would come down to a challenge, as the Chippewas appeared to even the score at 24-24 as a BSU attack attempt was called long. Junior Cait Snyder would be credited with the kill, however, as a touch was ruled to give Ball State a 2-1 set advantage.
The fourth frame was another battle, with CMU remaining within one at 23-22. The Cardinals used a timeout to put an end to a two-point Chippewas run, as senior opposite Natalie Mitchem blasted back-to-back kills to send Ball State to the MAC tournament championship match for the third time in the last four seasons.
"It was a really tough battle," Phillips added. "I'm proud of our group for staying the course and finding a way to win."
Snyder, who was named First Team All-MAC for her play over the course of the league season, led all attackers with a career-high 21 kills. She also hit a solid .259 (21-7-54) in the match, while adding three digs and three total blocks.
"This was step one," Snyder said following her career night. "We had to get past tonight to get to tomorrow. We're not trying to think ahead too much; taking each match one set at a time, one point at a time."
After her two kills to end the match, Mitchem, an All-MAC Second Team honoree, finished the contest with 15 markers and a .263 (15-5-58) attack percentage.
Two-time First Team All-MAC selection and senior middle Marie Plitt added 15 kills of her own, while pacing all players with a .448 (15-2-29) hitting mark.
"It's kind of now or never," Plitt said after the match. "After losing that first set, we were like we have to change something or we're going to be done. That was in the back of our heads, that we need to step it up, play better, and play on our side of the net."
Rounding out Ball State's top attackers was junior middle Lauren Gilliland with eight kills. She also added a team-high five total blocks.
Sophomore setter Megan Wielonski, the 2022 MAC Setter of the Year and a two-time First Team All-MAC honoree, dished out 54 assists and added 10 digs for her team-leading 19th double-double of the season. Her effort helped the Cardinals hit .268 (63-19-164) on the day.
Overall, senior libero Maggie Huber led the Ball State defense with 30 digs and was a perfect 30-for-30 in serve receive. She also served up a pair of aces and handed out five assists. Rounding out Ball State's defenders with double-digit digs was senior outside Natalie Risi at 14.
Mallory Hernandez led the Central Michigan attack with 18 kills, including nine in the first-set victory. Aly Gurtiza paced the Chippewas backcourt with 26 digs. Overall, the CMU offense connected for a .225 (60-22-169) rate of success in the match.
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. when it hosts Bowling Green in the MAC Volleyball Championship Match in Worthen Arena.
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