TOLEDO, Ohio – In one of the most exciting matches in recent program history, the University of Toledo women's volleyball team took down undefeated Ball State in five sets (25-17, 17-25, 25-21, 20-25, 21-19) on Thursday night in Savage Arena.

The Rockets (2-3, 2-3 MAC) faced four match points in the fifth set and didn't flinch, battling back each time to stay alive before delivering the final three points of the night to take down the Cardinals (4-1, 4-1 MAC).  

"We just watched a young team grow up in front of our eyes," head coach Jason Oliver said. "This match was huge for our freshmen and sophomores. To beat a great team like Ball State and overcome the adversity we did in this match was huge for our psyche."

Freshman Taylor Alt was incredible, tallying 29 kills including the match-winner to carry her team to victory. Her 29 terminations are the second-most ever in a match in program history and the most since TaNeisha Winters had 29 against Central Michigan on Nov. 13, 2007. Alt is one of six players in an NCAA Division I match this season to have at least 29 kills. The Ottawa, Ohio native came up when it mattered most, registering eight kills and hitting .462 in the fifth set.

Sophomore Ryann Jaqua started her third straight match at libero and recorded 37 digs, tied for fifth-most in a match in program history and the most since Maurissa Leonard had a school-record 40 in 2017. She is averaging 7.16 digs/set over her last three matches. Freshman setter Payton Morman added 57 assists and 10 digs, her second match with at least 50 assists this year. Senior Rhyen Neal had 21 digs, eclipsing 1,000 for her career with her 17^th dig of the match in the fourth set.

Sophomore Liz Beasley added a career-high 13 kills, while classmates Olivia Vance and Rhyenne Filisi both added nine terminations.

The match had similarities to a five-set marathon these two teams participated in on Halloween night in 2019. In that match, the Cardinals came away with a five-set win after a 23-21 triumph in the final frame. The Rockets got their revenge on Thursday for their first win over Ball State since 2017.

Toledo and Ball State will battle it out again on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN3.

1^st set (25-17, Toledo)

The Rockets claimed the first two points of the night to get off to a good start. Then, with the score tied at 4-4, they stunned the Cardinals with seven straight points to take a commanding 11-4 lead. In that 7-0 Liz Beasley tallied two terminations and Alt had two plus a service ace. The Midnight Blue and Gold kept their foot on the gas and doubled up Ball State at 18-9 before pushing ahead to win 25-17 and take a 1-0 lead in the match. Prior to tonight, the Cardinals had lost just one set all year long and they had gone seven straight sets without allowing a team to even reach 20 points.

2^nd set (25-17, Ball State)

The second set ended with the same score, but the Cardinals were victorious this time around. Toledo scored the first three points of the set, but BSU tallied six of the next seven to turn a three-point hole into a two-point lead at 6-4. Both teams traded punches for much of the second stanza, but when the Rockets were trailing 12-11 they surrendered eight of the next nine points to fall behind by eight, 20-12. The deficit proved to be insurmountable as Ball State cruised to a 25-17 win to tie the match at 1-1.

3^rd Set (25-21, Toledo)

The third set was a back and forth affair with 11 tie scores and six lead changes. Trailing 11-8, Toledo scored four of the next five to knot the score at 12-12. Ball State then inched out in front, 16-14, before three straight kills from the Rockets gave them a 17-16 lead. The Cardinals scored four of the next five points to move two points ahead on the scoreboard, 20-18, but UT scored the next six points to bring about a set point at 24-20. After surviving for one point, Ball State surrendered a kill from Alt to lose 25-21 and fall behind 2-1 in the match. Filisi had an outstanding third set, recording three kills and three blocks.

4^th set (25-20, Ball State)

From early on in the fourth set it appeared that a fifth set was on the way based off how Ball State played. The Cardinals took an early 7-2 lead with a few dominant plays, and while Toledo made a mini-run at the end to pull within four, 23-19, BSU closed out the fourth set to push the match to five. The Cardinals held the Rockets to a .073 hitting percentage in the fourth stanza.

5^th set (21-19, Toledo)

Knotted up at 13-13, Ball State scored to bring about the first match point. Alt's successful termination kept her team alive, then Liz Beasley did the same thing a few plays later when BSU held a 16-15 advantage. The Cardinals grabbed the lead two more times at 17-16 and 19-18, but Morman and senior Chloee Kleespies both made terrific plays to tie the score. After Kleespies tied it up at 19-19, A Ball State miscue made it 20-19, then Alt added the exclamation mark to a wild night with her 29^th and final kill to hand Toledo the win.


Highlights from Toledo's win in five sets over Ball State.