Nov. 20, 2005
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio - The top-seeded Bobcats can now firmly place the crowns on their heads after sweeping Ball State 3-0 (30-24, 30-25, 30-28) for their third consecutive Mid-American Conference title.
The Bobcats become only third team in the history of the MAC Tournament to win three straight conference tournament crowns. Ball State was the last squad to do it when it won four straight from 1992-95. The win over the Cardinals marks the second time in Ohio's three-year run it has eliminated Ball State from the tourney.
Ohio, with three consecutive MAC tournament titles, has taken over the conference this decade. Ball State owned the MAC in the 1990s with five titles, including four straight, and Western Michigan won four championships in the 1980s. Ohio has now begun to lay claim as the 2000s being the decade of the Bobcat.
Senior Co-Captains Julia Winkfield (Newark, Ohio) and Holly Schetzsle (Pataskala, Ohio) ended their MAC careers in style. Winkfield paced the Bobcat attack with 18 kill with Schetzsle adding 14. The two seniors combined to hit .418 for the match. Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) added 11 kills.
Savanah Parra (Temecula, Calif.) rounded out a solid tournament with 46 assists, 11 digs, four kills and four blocks. Her 148 assists for the tournament is the sixth most in the history of the MAC Tourney.
Michaele and Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the Bobcat defense with 15 digs each. Griffin and Parra shared team honors with four blocks each. Griffin's six solo blocks for the tourney ties for second-best in the history of the tournament.
The Bobcats trailed early in the opening game but quickly recovered. Trailing 6-2, Ohio embarked on an 11-0 run behind the serving of Griffin. Ball State fought its way back, closing to within two points on eight occasions but the Bobcats held off any comeback effort. Ohio closed off the game with a 5-1 run and concluded the frame with Winkfield's seventh kill of the game.
Ohio and Ball State exchanged points throughout the first half of the second frame as the game was tied on nine occasions, the last of which coming at 16 all. The Bobcats then scored the next three points to take a lead they would not relinquish. A Cardinal blocking error gave Ohio a 30-25 game two win.
The Bobcats used a 4-0 run early in the third game to take a 7-3 lead. Ball State clawed its way back to tie it at nine but Ohio responded with three straight points to go up 12-9.
The Cardinals would not go away easy as they used a 6-2 run midway through to take an 18-16 lead. Ball State kept the pressure on, increasing its lead to three at 26-23. The Bobcats answered with a 6-0 run to give them a 29-26 lead. The Cardinals closed to within one but Winkfield put away her final kill to give Ohio a 30-28 victory and another piece for the trophy case.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, Parra was named the tournament MVP after posting 148 assists, 39 digs, 11 kills, six block and four aces. Schetzsle was named to the All-Tournament Team for the second straight year with 42 kills while hitting .451.
Ohio will play a tournament in California next weekend as a tune up for the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats will play St. Mary's Friday at 8 p.m.
