
Volleyball Drops Thriller Versus Cal Poly
August 31, 2025 | Women's Volleyball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - - Despite four players with double-digit kills, the Ball State women's volleyball team closed play in the Golden Gopher Invitational with a 3-2 (26-28. 23-25, 27-25, 26-24, 15-11) setback to Cal Poly Sunday afternoon at Maturi Pavilion.
Â
The hotly contested match saw each of the first four sets won by the minimum two-point margin, with three of the frames going extra points. The Cardinals (1-2) securing the first two sets and rallied from down 24-21 in the third to tie the score at 24 and again at 25.Â
Â
Unfortunately, the Mustangs (2-1) secured the final two points in the third, survived a fourth-set battle which was also tied at 24 late, and scored five of the final seven points in the fifth to take the match.
Â
It was another strong attacking day for Ball State's outsides, as sophomore Carson Tyler and graduate Noelle VanOort tied for match-high honors with 20 kills apiece. It was Tyler's 25 career match with double-digit kills and her seventh with at least 20. For VanOort, she reached double-digit kills for the third time at Ball State and the 100th time in her collegiate career, which included 97 times in her four seasons at Indiana Tech (2021-24). It was also her 11th career match with at least 20 kills.
Â
In addition, Tyler chipped in a career-high 18 digs and VanOort added 15 to each finish with their second double-double of the season. It was the eighth of Tyler's Ball State career and the 70th of VanOort's collegiate career.
Â
Along with the strong play from the outside, the Cardinals started to find a rhythm in the middle with sophomore Tiffany Snook blasting a career-high 16 kills and hitting a team-best .481 (16-3-27) and junior Camryn Wise chipping in a season-high 12 kills and hitting .300 (12-3-30).
Â
Their combined effort helped the Cardinals finish the match with a .234 (77-32-192) rate of success, aided by junior setter Lindsey Green's second double-double of the season with 44 assists and 18 digs. Sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter also secured her first career double-double with 14 digs and a career-high 10 assists, while freshman setter Reese Axness chipped in 13 helpers.
Â
At the net, Tyler and Wise would tie for team-high honors with three total blocks each, while Snook and freshman opposite Christyn Ashby collected two each.
Â
On the other side of the net, Kendall Beshear led the Mustangs with 20 kills and Emma Fredrick was right behind with 19. Cal Poly connected for a .314 (70-15-175) rate of success as a team and held an 11.0 to 6.0 edge in total blocks. Fredrick would also lead the squad with 13 digs.
Â
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday (Sept. 5) when it faces Colgate (10:30 a.m.) and Connecticut (4:30 p.m.) in the UConn Challenge.
Â
Â
The hotly contested match saw each of the first four sets won by the minimum two-point margin, with three of the frames going extra points. The Cardinals (1-2) securing the first two sets and rallied from down 24-21 in the third to tie the score at 24 and again at 25.Â
Â
Unfortunately, the Mustangs (2-1) secured the final two points in the third, survived a fourth-set battle which was also tied at 24 late, and scored five of the final seven points in the fifth to take the match.
Â
It was another strong attacking day for Ball State's outsides, as sophomore Carson Tyler and graduate Noelle VanOort tied for match-high honors with 20 kills apiece. It was Tyler's 25 career match with double-digit kills and her seventh with at least 20. For VanOort, she reached double-digit kills for the third time at Ball State and the 100th time in her collegiate career, which included 97 times in her four seasons at Indiana Tech (2021-24). It was also her 11th career match with at least 20 kills.
Â
In addition, Tyler chipped in a career-high 18 digs and VanOort added 15 to each finish with their second double-double of the season. It was the eighth of Tyler's Ball State career and the 70th of VanOort's collegiate career.
Â
Along with the strong play from the outside, the Cardinals started to find a rhythm in the middle with sophomore Tiffany Snook blasting a career-high 16 kills and hitting a team-best .481 (16-3-27) and junior Camryn Wise chipping in a season-high 12 kills and hitting .300 (12-3-30).
Â
Their combined effort helped the Cardinals finish the match with a .234 (77-32-192) rate of success, aided by junior setter Lindsey Green's second double-double of the season with 44 assists and 18 digs. Sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter also secured her first career double-double with 14 digs and a career-high 10 assists, while freshman setter Reese Axness chipped in 13 helpers.
Â
At the net, Tyler and Wise would tie for team-high honors with three total blocks each, while Snook and freshman opposite Christyn Ashby collected two each.
Â
On the other side of the net, Kendall Beshear led the Mustangs with 20 kills and Emma Fredrick was right behind with 19. Cal Poly connected for a .314 (70-15-175) rate of success as a team and held an 11.0 to 6.0 edge in total blocks. Fredrick would also lead the squad with 13 digs.
Â
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday (Sept. 5) when it faces Colgate (10:30 a.m.) and Connecticut (4:30 p.m.) in the UConn Challenge.
Â
Team Stats
CPO
BSU
Kills
70
77
Errors
15
32
Attempts
175
192
Hitting %
.314
.234
Points
90.0
90.0
Assists
63
69
Aces
9
7
Blocks
11
6
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Players Mentioned
Women's Volleyball // Wise and VanOort Reaction
Monday, September 22
This Week in Ball State Sports // Mike Uremovich, Ally Becki, Qua Ashley & Kelli Miller Phillips
Thursday, September 18
Women's Volleyball // 2025 First Practice Recap
Tuesday, August 05
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01