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Mindy Marx, a senior middle hitter, goes up to hit the ball against the University of Toledo on Nov. 7 at Worthen Arena. Marx had 18 kills. DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Varied attack gives Ball State advantage

By David Polaski / November 18, 2013

By the end of Saturday’s match against Western Michigan University, Lauren Grant had 10 kills. That would normally put a player at or near the top of the kill lead in a match. Not this time, though, not when four other players finished with even more in one of the strongest offensive performances of the season by the Ball State women’s volleyball team. But it wasn’t holes in the defense that Ball State was seeing that spurred the offense, said sophomore middle blocker Hayley Benson. “[It was] a lot of determination,” she said.

SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State faces off against Northern Illinois

By David Polaski / November 14, 2013

Ball State has seen its fair share of strong outside hitters lately. It doesn’t get any easier Friday, when the Ball State women’s volleyball team travels to Northern Illinois University in the final weekend of the regular season. After facing Lauren Rafdal, who leads the Mid-American Conference in kills, the Cardinals will take on Mackenzie Roddy.

Sophomore outside hitter Alex Fuelling and senior setter Jacqui Seidel celebrate after getting a point at the match against the University of Toledo on Nov. 7 at Worthen Arena. DN PHOTO EMILY SOBECKI
SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Fuelling fights through injury

By David Polaski / November 13, 2013

After injuring her ankle in practice earlier this season, recovering physically has only been half the battle for Alex Fuelling. When the sophomore outside hitter took the court against the University of Toledo on Tuesday, being physically ready was only the start of being fully healthy. “I wanted to worry about how to attack Toledo and less about my ankle,” Fuelling said after the match.

Sophomore middle blocker Hayley Benson hits the ball against Central Michigan University on Nov. 1 at Worthen Arena. The sophomore has gained 26 kills in the last two losing matches against the University of Toledo and the University of Akron and was tied second on the team against Akron. DN FILE PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY
SPORTS

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State tries to put losing streak behind it

By David Polaski / November 12, 2013

A two-match losing streak isn’t usually something to be concerned about. It’s just unfamiliar territory for the Ball State women’s volleyball team, considering the standards the players set since the Mid-American Conference portion of the schedule began. “We need to refocus,” sophomore outside hitter Alex Fuelling said.

Jenna Spadafora, a sophomore setter, spikes the ball against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 2. Spadafora had 9 kills during the match. DN PHOTO EMMA ROGERS
SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State drops second straight match

By David Polaski / November 9, 2013

AKRON, OHIO — Ball State was on a 7-0 run and had all the momentum, as the offense was throwing down kills and the defense was blocking nearly every attack and digging each volleyball that got past the blockers. But the hole the women’s volleyball team had dug itself was too large. The 7-0 run only tied the fourth set of Ball State’s 3-1 (17-25), (19-25), (25-9), (26-24) loss to the University of Akron. After leading the set 24-23, Ball State collapsed and allowed Akron to fire off the last 3 points, sealing Ball State’s second straight Mid-American Conference loss. It’s the first conference losing streak Ball State has seen this season. “In the first two sets, [Akron] dug everything we hit,” Ball State head coach Steve Shondell said.

Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Hayley Benson knocks the ball over the net for a kill against the University of Toledo on Nov. 7 at Worthen Arena. Benson had 17 kills in the loss. DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY
SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State drops home finale 3-2

By David Polaski / November 7, 2013

Leading 24-23 in the third set after already taking the first two, the Ball State women’s volleyball team was ready to finish off the University of Toledo. Worthen Arena’s fans were on their feet, all 1,454 of them — the biggest attendance of the season. They were ready to explode if Ball State swept Toledo, cementing the team in first place in the Mid-American Conference West. It never happened.

SPORTS

5 matches that shaped the MAC standings

By David Polaski / November 7, 2013

With the women’s volleyball regular season coming to a close within the next few weeks, there have been numerous upsets and influential games that have shaped how the Mid-American Conference standings have shaped up.

Senior quarterback Keith Wenning throws the ball in the second quarter against Central Michigan University on Nov. 6 at Scheumann Stadium. Ball State
SPORTS

Top MAC West teams square off

By David Polaski / November 7, 2013

Kylee Baker didn’t mince words. “That loss never should have happened in the first place,” she said. Ball State’s senior outside hitter remembers what happened the first time Ball State played the University of Toledo.

Senior setter Jacqui Seidel bumps the ball during the game against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 2. Ball State won on its senior night 3-0. Seidel, one of five departing seniors, has 853 career assists to date. DN PHOTO EMMA ROGERS
SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Jacqui Seidel, a look back

By David Polaski / November 4, 2013

Before the season began, Ball State women’s volleyball head coach Steve Shondell referred to senior Jacqui Seidel as the moral and emotional leader of the team. It’s an easy argument to make, seeing as she’s competed in 91 matches throughout her Ball State career, seeing time in 10 as a freshman. When Seidel entered Ball State, she sat behind Brittany McGinnis, who helped mentor her.

Sophomore outside hitter Alex Fuelling dives for a ball during a game this season. Fuelling wears the No. 2 jersey, just like her mother did, for Ball State. DN FILE PHOTO JORDAN HUFFER
SPORTS

Mother-daughter duo represents Ball State

By David Polaski / October 29, 2013

Maybe it’s in the genes. Ball State women’s volleyball outside hitter Alex Fuelling has carried her team’s offense this season, just one attack attempt shy of 700 and leads the team in kills with 285. For her, it isn’t just practice that’s brought her to where she is today.

Senior opposite hitter Lauren Grant and sophomore middle hitter Hayley Benson jump up to block a hit against Bowling Green State University on Oct. 25 at Worthen Arena. Ball State lost the match 3-1. DN PHOTO MATT McKINNEY
SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State knocks off Miami 3-1

By David Polaski / October 27, 2013

Varied is one word that could be used to describe Ball State’s offense against Miami University. Another would be inconsistent. Four Cardinals finished with at least 12 kills against the RedHawks in a 3-1 win over the visitors. Lauren Grant and Mindy Marx led the way with 16 kills each, although none of them came easy as it took them 62 attack attempts to get there.

SPORTS

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Road win puts Ball State in first

By David Polaski / October 20, 2013

Ball State knocked off Ohio in five sets Saturday night, winning the first, third and fifth sets. The win puts the Cardinals in first place in the Mid-American Conference. The teams traded points in the first set, until Ball State opened up a 19-13 lead that brought an Ohio timeout.

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