Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, October 28
Convocation Center
Noon
Eastern Michigan University
8-16, 3-8MAC
1
vs
3
Ball State
10-15, 6-5MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Ball State
21
25
25
25
3
Eastern Michigan
25
18
22
19
1
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Cardinals Hand Eastern Four Set Loss
10/28/2016 2:10:00 PM | Volleyball
After winning set one, the Green and White dropped three in a row
Video Highlights.
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Despite racing to a 1-0 set lead, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team fell to Ball State University, 3-1, today, Oct. 28, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles (8-16, 3-8 MAC) kept the match fairly close, but were unable to beat the Cardinals (10-15, 6-5 MAC) down the stretch.
As a team, the Green and White hit at a .125 clip offensively, with sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa–Solon) leading the attack after notching a career-best 22 kills. Additionally, junior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.–Lemont (Austin Peay)) had a strong match, picking up a career-high 13 kills while attacking at a .500 clip. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.–Perry Meridian) paced the squad with 34 assists and a trio of Eagles all notched 16 digs. Taylor, Smith, and sophomore Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.–Allen Park) all picked up 16, with Taylor's being a career-high.
The Eagles got off to a quick start, opening up an early 2-0 lead after back-to-back kills. The Cardinals promptly responded by rattling off three of their own to take a 3-2 lead, but the Green and White went on a run to open up a five-point lead, 9-4, behind back-to-back kills from Smith. The strong offensive production continued, as Ball State was forced to call a timeout with the score standing at 12-6 in favor of EMU. The Eagles kept it rolling from there, as the squad extended their lead to 17-8. The Cardinals were then able to put together another small run, cutting the EMU lead to 17-12 and forcing the Eagles to take a timeout. Following the timeout, Eastern strung together a few more points, but Ball State kept it close at 21-15. After another kill from EMU, Ball State called their second timeout with the score standing at 22-15. The final points of the set saw the Cardinals string together four straight-points to pull within three, 23-20, before Eastern secured the set victory, 25-21, after a kill from freshman Alysa Sutton (Gaston, Ind.–Wes-Del).
Ball State began the second set with four quick points to open a 4-1 lead, but the Eagles recovered nicely and tied it up at four after another kill from Smith, who led the squad with five at this point. The two teams kept it close, remaining tied at seven apiece before the Cardinals broke the tie to retake the lead, 8-7. Ball State continued their run, picking up four more points to go ahead 12-8 before an EMU timeout halted the momentum. The timeout proved to help out the Eagles, as they cut into the Ball State lead and made the score 14-12. From there, the EMU offense cooled down and the Cardinals opened a six-point lead, 19-13. The Eagles refused to go quietly, however, remaining in striking distance with the score at 22-16. Ball State managed to hang on to the lead and close out the set by a score of 25-18, tying things up at one set apiece.
The third set began with both teams keeping it close at three apiece before the Green and White broke the tie to make it 4-3. The set was tied up again at five, but once again the Eagles broke the tie to take the lead, 6-5, after which a Smith kill gave the Green and White some momentum. The Eagles kept it rolling, opening their largest lead of the set at three with the score standing at 10-7. Despite Ball State chipping away, Eastern maintained their lead, 14-11, after a kill from Sutton. The set remained close from there, as EMU held a slim, one-point lead, 17-16, before BSU tied it up. From there, a huge block from Ferguson and freshman Ariel Hamby (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) gave the Eagles some more positive momentum heading into the final points of the set. With the scored tied up at 21, the Green and White called a timeout with the end of the set fast approaching. A serving error from Ball State broke the tie in favor of the Eagles, but the Cardinals quickly responded and tied it back up at 22. BSU then promptly closed out the set with three straight points, 25-22, to take a 2-1 set lead.
The Cardinals controlled the fourth set in the early goings, holding a 3-0 lead, after which the Green and White got on the board through a kill from Smith. EMU then rattled off a couple of points behind back-to-back kills from Ferguson to pull within one, 6-5. From there, the Cardinals built some momentum and opened an 11-7 lead, but Eastern halted the run quickly behind a kill from Hamby. Trailing 13-8, Eastern took a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, Smith got the ball rolling with her 17th kill on the day to make the score 13-9 in favor of Ball State. The Cardinals responded with a big run of their own to open a seven-point lead, 17-10, but Ferguson got EMU back on track with another kill. Ferguson kept it rolling with her 12th kill of the day to make the score 19-12, with the 12 kills tying her career high. Despite being down by seven, Eastern continued to fight, forcing a BSU timeout with the score at 19-14. Coming out of the timeout, EMU picked up where they left off, as Ferguson notched her 13th kill for a new career high, while Smith picked up her 20th, which also tied her career best. After an EMU timeout, Ball State responded with two quick points to make the score 23-16, but Smith came back with another kill to set a new career high. With the score standing at 23-18, Eastern needed to go on a run to keep the match going. Although they picked up one more point, the Cardinals promptly closed out the set with two-straight points to win the set 25-19, and the match, 3-1.
The Green and White will continue the Mid-American Conference season tomorrow, Oct. 29, with a match against Toledo at 8 p.m.
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Despite racing to a 1-0 set lead, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team fell to Ball State University, 3-1, today, Oct. 28, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles (8-16, 3-8 MAC) kept the match fairly close, but were unable to beat the Cardinals (10-15, 6-5 MAC) down the stretch.
As a team, the Green and White hit at a .125 clip offensively, with sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa–Solon) leading the attack after notching a career-best 22 kills. Additionally, junior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.–Lemont (Austin Peay)) had a strong match, picking up a career-high 13 kills while attacking at a .500 clip. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.–Perry Meridian) paced the squad with 34 assists and a trio of Eagles all notched 16 digs. Taylor, Smith, and sophomore Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.–Allen Park) all picked up 16, with Taylor's being a career-high.
The Eagles got off to a quick start, opening up an early 2-0 lead after back-to-back kills. The Cardinals promptly responded by rattling off three of their own to take a 3-2 lead, but the Green and White went on a run to open up a five-point lead, 9-4, behind back-to-back kills from Smith. The strong offensive production continued, as Ball State was forced to call a timeout with the score standing at 12-6 in favor of EMU. The Eagles kept it rolling from there, as the squad extended their lead to 17-8. The Cardinals were then able to put together another small run, cutting the EMU lead to 17-12 and forcing the Eagles to take a timeout. Following the timeout, Eastern strung together a few more points, but Ball State kept it close at 21-15. After another kill from EMU, Ball State called their second timeout with the score standing at 22-15. The final points of the set saw the Cardinals string together four straight-points to pull within three, 23-20, before Eastern secured the set victory, 25-21, after a kill from freshman Alysa Sutton (Gaston, Ind.–Wes-Del).
Ball State began the second set with four quick points to open a 4-1 lead, but the Eagles recovered nicely and tied it up at four after another kill from Smith, who led the squad with five at this point. The two teams kept it close, remaining tied at seven apiece before the Cardinals broke the tie to retake the lead, 8-7. Ball State continued their run, picking up four more points to go ahead 12-8 before an EMU timeout halted the momentum. The timeout proved to help out the Eagles, as they cut into the Ball State lead and made the score 14-12. From there, the EMU offense cooled down and the Cardinals opened a six-point lead, 19-13. The Eagles refused to go quietly, however, remaining in striking distance with the score at 22-16. Ball State managed to hang on to the lead and close out the set by a score of 25-18, tying things up at one set apiece.
The third set began with both teams keeping it close at three apiece before the Green and White broke the tie to make it 4-3. The set was tied up again at five, but once again the Eagles broke the tie to take the lead, 6-5, after which a Smith kill gave the Green and White some momentum. The Eagles kept it rolling, opening their largest lead of the set at three with the score standing at 10-7. Despite Ball State chipping away, Eastern maintained their lead, 14-11, after a kill from Sutton. The set remained close from there, as EMU held a slim, one-point lead, 17-16, before BSU tied it up. From there, a huge block from Ferguson and freshman Ariel Hamby (Oak Park, Ill.–Oak Park River Forest) gave the Eagles some more positive momentum heading into the final points of the set. With the scored tied up at 21, the Green and White called a timeout with the end of the set fast approaching. A serving error from Ball State broke the tie in favor of the Eagles, but the Cardinals quickly responded and tied it back up at 22. BSU then promptly closed out the set with three straight points, 25-22, to take a 2-1 set lead.
The Cardinals controlled the fourth set in the early goings, holding a 3-0 lead, after which the Green and White got on the board through a kill from Smith. EMU then rattled off a couple of points behind back-to-back kills from Ferguson to pull within one, 6-5. From there, the Cardinals built some momentum and opened an 11-7 lead, but Eastern halted the run quickly behind a kill from Hamby. Trailing 13-8, Eastern took a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, Smith got the ball rolling with her 17th kill on the day to make the score 13-9 in favor of Ball State. The Cardinals responded with a big run of their own to open a seven-point lead, 17-10, but Ferguson got EMU back on track with another kill. Ferguson kept it rolling with her 12th kill of the day to make the score 19-12, with the 12 kills tying her career high. Despite being down by seven, Eastern continued to fight, forcing a BSU timeout with the score at 19-14. Coming out of the timeout, EMU picked up where they left off, as Ferguson notched her 13th kill for a new career high, while Smith picked up her 20th, which also tied her career best. After an EMU timeout, Ball State responded with two quick points to make the score 23-16, but Smith came back with another kill to set a new career high. With the score standing at 23-18, Eastern needed to go on a run to keep the match going. Although they picked up one more point, the Cardinals promptly closed out the set with two-straight points to win the set 25-19, and the match, 3-1.
The Green and White will continue the Mid-American Conference season tomorrow, Oct. 29, with a match against Toledo at 8 p.m.
Team Stats
BSU
EMU
Kills
43
52
Errors
16
34
Attempts
133
144
Hitting %
.203
.125
Points
63.0
61.0
Assists
41
51
Aces
7
5
Blocks
13.0
4.0
Game Leaders
Kills
22
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH/DS
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