With four matches on the schedule in the next 24 hours, Ball State came out on top against Western Illinois to start the Iowa Tournament.
The Cardinals won in four sets 25-21, 22-25, 25-19 and 25-15.
Ball State fell behind in the first set 6-2, forcing a quick timeout from head coach Steve Shondell. The timeout worked, as the team rallied to tie the game at nine before scoring the next three, capped off with a serving ace from Jacqui Seidel.
Leading 23-21, two errors from Western Illinois gave Ball State the set.
After jumping out to a 16-7 lead in the second set, Ball State fell apart.
Western Illinois rallied to tie the game at 18, and then took the lead off a block from Jordan Jackson and Heather Smith. Leading 24-21, Jackson put the set away with a kill.
Trailing 15-14 in the third set, Ball State’s Mackenzie Kitchel tied the set with a kill and her team never looked back. Two consecutive kills from Mindy Marx gave Ball State the lead, and Hayley Benson went on to end the set with a kill.
Kitchel finished with a team-high 14 kills in the match.
Ball State controlled the final set from the start, gaining a 6-2 lead immediately. After extending it to 15-10, Ball State went on a 6-2 run which included two consecutive service aces from Seidel.
Seidel finished with four service aces while Catie Fredrich and Nikki Box each added one.
The Cardinals went on to win the set off a service error by the Leathernecks, sealing the match.
Ball State (5-3) plays its next match tonight against Iowa at 8 p.m.
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