Women's Volleyball

Red Bird Rivalry Ignites New Week of MACtion Play

Previews Courtesy of Athletic Communications Departments

Miami RedHawks (10-5, 2-2 MAC) 
Miami continues Mid-American Conference play by traveling to Muncie, Ind., to take on the Ball State Cardinals on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. 

The Red and White are 39-50 when facing off with the Cardinals. The RedHawks hold a 16-24 record when visiting Ball State. Last season, Miami dropped two matches to the Cardinals, as the RedHawks fell 3-0 on both Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 28. The Cardinals have won the last seven matches versus the Red and White.

STRONG START: The Red and White concluded non-conference play with an 8-3 record (best start to a season since 2013). During that stretch, the RedHawks won seven straight matches, which was the longest win streak since Miami recorded nine consecutive wins in the 2019 season. 

CONFERENCE/NATIONAL RANKINGS: 
  • The RedHawks are third in the MAC and 15th in the country in digs per set (16.31/set)
  • Miami holds the first spot in the MAC and 18th ranking among Division I teams for opponent hitting percentage (0.161)
  • The Red and White are fourth in the MAC and 17th in the country in attacks per set (36.87/set)
  • Rachel Morgan sits at third in the MAC and 93rd in the nation in digs per set (4.06/set)
  • Molly Creech ranks first in the MAC and eighth overall in attacks per set (11.81/set)
  • Molly Creech holds the number one rank in the MAC and 55th overall rank in the nation in kills per set (3.88/set)
  • Molly Creech is first in the MAC and 73rd in the country in points per set (4.30/set)

Ball State Cardinals (11-4, 2-2 MAC) 
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns home for a pair of matches this week, starting Tuesday with a 6 p.m. first serve versus Miami ... The Cardinals close the week Saturday with a 4 p.m. first serve versus Central Michigan.

BALL STATE IN THE MAC: With a 2-2 Mid-American Conference record so far this season, Ball State maintains its status as the winningest program in league play with a 478-228 (.677) all-time MAC mark ... Western Michigan is second on the list, six matches behind the Cardinals at 472-234 (.669) ... Miami is fourth on the current list, at 410-296 (.580), while Central Michigan is sixth at 353-354 (.499).

WHEN IN WORTHEN: With two wins over Western Michigan to start home #MACtion, the Cardinals boast a 335-105 (.761) all-time record inside Worthen Arena, including an 85-42 (.669) mark against non-conference foes and a 250-63 (.799) ledger versus Mid-American Conference rivals ... No MAC opponent owns a winning record inside Worthen Arena, as the Cardinals have at least a .630 winning percentage against all league schools on its current home floor ... Coming into Worthen this week, Miami owns an 8-18 (.308) mark in the building, while Central Michigan is 6-29 (.171)

SCOUTING BALL STATE:
• The Ball State women's volleyball team enters Tuesday's match vs. Miami with an 11-4 (2-2 MAC) record after suffering a pair of setbacks at Toledo last weekend ... Despite the losses, the Cardinals are ranked 32nd nationally in the first run of the NCAA Division I RPI rankings ... It is the highest the Cardinals have been in the RPI rankings since the final release of the 2021 season when Ball State ended the year at 29 after defeating Michigan in the opening round of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship.
• A four-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week and two-time MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week so far this season, Ball State junior libero Sophie Ledbetter enters the week ranked first in the MAC and 18th nationally with a 4.76 digs-per-set average ... Her 257 total digs, including a season-high 26 digs at Notre Dame (Aug. 28) and versus Furman (Sept. 12), are also first among all MAC players and 44th nationally.
• Thanks in part to Sophie Ledbetter's strong play in the backcourt, the Ball State defense enters the week ranked first in the MAC and fifth nationally with a 17.57 digs-per-set average ... The Cardinals have out-dug opponents in 12 of its 15 matches so far this season and have five starters and six overall players averaging over 2.00 digs-per-set.
• Ball State has also been able to translate those digs into kills, leading the nation in both assists per set (13.78) and kills per set (14.59) ... Led by 6-2 setters senior Lindsey Green and sophomore Reese Axness, the Cardinals also rank 43rd nationally with a .258 hitting percentage.
• Looking at the offensive numbers, the Cardinals are doing it with a very balanced attack as six players have collected at least 86 kills through the first 15 matches of the season ... Four of those attackers have reached double-digit kills in at least three matches, led by junior outside Ava Smith with double figures in 11 ... Junior opposite Tiffany Snook is not far behind with double-digit kills in nine matches.
• Senior middle Camryn Wise enters the weekend ranked second in the MAC and 33rd nationally with a .396 hitting percentage, including seven matches above the mark so far this season ... In fact, Wise hit a program record .889 (16-0-18), for a player with at least 15 attempts in a match, in the Sept. 26 win over Western Michigan. 

For more MAC Volleyball news and notes throughout the season, visit www.GetSomeMaction.com and follow @MACSports on X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.