By: Alec Runyan
Ball State Sports Link
Jaclyn Bulmahn – Women’s Volleyball
After a very successful start to the season, the Ball State women’s volleyball began MACtion last week with a doubleheader at Kent State.
The Cardinals would lose the first match in a devastating five set (25-19, 25-13, 26-28, 19-25, 15-17) comeback by the Golden Flashes. However Ball State turned things around the following day and made quick work of Kent State defeating them in straight sets (25-14, 25-15, 25-10).
Valparaiso grad transfer Jaclyn Bulmahn led the Cardinals in kills both nights with 16 during game one and a season-high 19 during Saturday’s victory.
The most impressive part of Bulmahn’s performance on Saturday’s 19 kill performance was the .600 rate of success, another season-high.
Bulmahn and the Cardinals continues MACtion this Thursday and Friday against Ohio University inside Worthen Arena with both matches beginning at 6:30.
Listen in at the Sports Link Twitter and Facebook pages for the Sports Link Digital Radio broadcast, with Lexi Eblen and Donnie Harmon on the call Thursday, while Nathan Ganger and Tristan Fluhr will bring you the action on Friday.
Chelcy Ralph – Soccer
The Ball State soccer team opened up conference play last week with two MAC matches in just four days.
The Cardinal’s MAC debut for the 2021 season began at the Briner Sports Complex with a 0-0 tie with Eastern Michigan before travelling to Central Michigan on Sunday for what would be a very exciting match.
After going down 1-0 just 12 minutes into the match, senior midfielder Chelcy Ralph scored the equalizing goal minutes later off of a rebound from teammate Jenna Dombrowsk, earning her the assist.
Ralph now leads the Cardinals with three goals on the year through the first eight games.
Ball State would go on to defeat Central Michigan 2-1 after Grace Alsop found the back of the net from a corner kick assisted by Lexy Smith in the 54th minute.
“It was a great team win. Central throughout the match, tactically gave us some different problems to solve and we did a great job of adjusting every time,” head coach Josh Rife explained. “It was great to score a few goals today as well. We hope to build on this performance as we move forward.”
The Cardinals (3-4-1, 1-0-1 MAC) continue their MAC schedule as they travel to Buffalo on Thursday, September 30 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Jessica Braun – Women’s Tennis
Women’s tennis began last week for Ball State with the Bethany Moore Invitational taking place at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center.
The Cardinals were very successful in their first outing of the fall season, winning five different brackets at singles.
Among those winners was junior Jessica Braun who had a perfect record over the weekend in both singles and doubles.
Braun who was competing in the top singles bracket, won her first two matches against opponents from Oakland University and University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin before facing teammate Amy Kaplan in the finals where Braun would go on to win 7-6, 6-3.
Ball State will continue its fall schedule this Friday through Sunday, October 3 in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the Eastern Michigan Invite.
Justin Hall – Football
Ball State football opened up conference play with a tough game against MAC West heavyweight Toledo falling 22-12.
Despite the loss standout wide receiver Justin Hall was still able to carve up Toledo’s defense with multiple big plays. Hall finished the game leading the Cardinals in both rushing yards (64) and receiving yards (97) on seven receptions.
The fifth-year senior entered the game 66 receiving yards shy of breaking Ball State’s record for receiving yards in a career.
Hall, who has now totaled 3,061 career receiving yards, passed Dante Ridgeway’s record of 3,030 yards dating back to 2004.
“It means a lot, but I wouldn’t have been able to get that accomplishment without my teammates,” Hall said. “[But] we just got to keep going… I’m truly blessed to have this accomplishment, but we can’t celebrate without getting a W today.”
Unsatisfied with the final results on the day, Hall and the Cardinals look to bounce back against undefeated Army this Saturday at Scheumann Stadium for a 5 p.m. kickoff.
