Sept. 29, 2005

Final Stats

Muncie, IN - Toledo (9-6, 2-1 MAC) suffered its first conference setback of the season with a 3-1 (30-27, 25-30, 30-27, 30-28) loss at Ball State (8-5, 2-1 MAC). The Rockets had a chance to win every game but came up just short.

Senior OH Chelsey Poquette produced her best outing of her career with a match-high 25 kills and eight digs. Junior OH Kate Bean also registered double-digits in kills with 18 terminations to go along with 11 digs.

On the defensive side of the net, junior libero Lora Sarich led UT with a season and match-high 32 digs with senior MB Kelsey Culver collecting a season-high seven blocks.

After Toledo scored the first point of the match on a BSU service error, the Cardinals registered four straight points to climb ahead 4-1. Ball State would continue to hold the lead until the 23-23 mark when one of nine Toledo service aces on the night tied the contest. The Rockets would go on to take a 27-25 advantage before a Ball State timeout changed the momentum of the frame.

Coming out of the timeout, BSU collected a kill and combined with two UT attack errors forced the Rockets into taking their own timeout. Toledo couldn't turn the tide though and the Cardinals closed out the game.

In the second stanza, Ball State went ahead 2-0, only to see the Rockets build a 10-5 edge. BSU would cut the gap to one point at 11-10, before falling behind again by a score of 18-12. The Cardinals would get as close as 22-20 but a 7-1 run by Toledo put the game away.

After fighting out to a 7-7 tie, BSU would take a 20-13 advantage in the third frame, only to see Toledo rally off the next six points to get within one at 20-19 primarily thanks to four Poquette kills. Toledo pulled ahead 23-21, only to see the Cardinals tie the game again at 24. BSU took a 25-24 edge, but the Rockets would end up tying the game again at 28.

After a BSU timeout, Sarah Obras broke the tie with one of her four kills in the game. Toledo would follow with an attack error to end the set at 30-28.

The fourth frame would be the most hotly contested of the match with 11 ties and five lead changes. After falling behind by four points early (10-6) the Cardinals bounced back to take a 19-16 advantage. BSU capture the lead for good at the 24-23 mark, thanks to back-to-back Toledo errors. Obras and Refenes followed with back-to-back kills, making the score 27-23. Toledo drew within two points at 28-26 and 29-27 before May and Parrell combined for the match-winning block assist.

For the contest, Ball State held a .179 (61-27-190) to .126 (65-40-198) advantage in hitting and out-blocked the Rockets 18 to 12. Toledo held an 87-81 edge in digs and a 9-4 lead in service aces.

The Rockets return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Akron at Savage Hall in a matinee beginning at 3:00 p.m.