Sunday, August 31
Minneapolis, MN
9:00 AM
2-1,0-0Big West
3
vs
2
Ball State
1-2,0-0MAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Cal Poly
26
23
27
26
15
3
Ball St.
28
25
25
24
11
2
Photo by: Chris Mitchell - Sport Shot Photo
The Cardiac Stangs Complete Heart-Stopping Reverse Sweep Over Ball State
8/31/2025 12:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Facing a 2-0 deficit and the brink of a sweep, the Cal Poly Mustangs (2-1) authored a stunning comeback, digging deep to storm back and stun the Ball State Cardinals (1-2) in a five-set thriller (26-28, 23-25, 27-25, 26-24, 15-11) Saturday at Maturi Pavilion. The match, a roller coaster of momentum swings, was decided by the slimmest of margins, with three sets needing extra points.
The Cardinals came out swinging, overpowering the Mustangs to claim a marathon first set 28-26 and never relenting in a tightly contested second frame, winning 25-23. With their backs against the wall, the infamous "Cardiac Stangs" emerged. They clawed their way out of a deep hole, saving multiple match points to steal a heart-stopping third set 27-25, a victory that ignited the team and completely shifted the match's momentum.
The fourth set was a masterclass in tension, featuring 13 ties and five lead changes. Just as Ball State seemed poised to finally close the door, Cal Poly ripped off a critical run to force a fifth set with a 26-24 win. Riding that feeling, the Mustangs exploded in the final frame, jumping to an 8-3 lead and never glancing back, sealing the reverse sweep 15-11.
Sophomore outside hitter Kendall Beshear was unstoppable at the net, pounding a career-high 20 kills and scooping 12 digs for her second double-double. Emma Fredrick was equally formidable, also setting a career-best with 19 kills while adding 13 digs and three blocks, notching another double-double of her own. Setter Emme Bullis was the steady hand guiding the explosive offense, dishing out 45 assists and landing two service aces.
True freshman Charlotte Kelly shone in her starting role, intimidating at the net with a match-high six total blocks. Chloe Leluge provided a huge offensive spark from the middle with 12 kills, while key contributions came from across the roster: Annabelle Thalken (10 kills), Ella Scott (10 digs, 5 assists), and Elif Hurriyet (11 digs, 5 assists) all made pivotal plays.
The final stat sheet revealed the tale of the match: efficiency. Cal Poly's offense hummed at a .314 clip while committing a mere 15 attacking errors. Ball State, despite powerful swings from Carson Tyler (20 kills) and Tiffany Snook (16 kills), was less consistent, hitting .234 and hampered by 32 attacking errors, a disparity that proved decisive in the match's critical moments.
Cal Poly now carries this wave of momentum into Fayetteville, Ark., for a formidable tournament slate next week against host Arkansas, Tulsa, and Oklahoma.
The Cardinals came out swinging, overpowering the Mustangs to claim a marathon first set 28-26 and never relenting in a tightly contested second frame, winning 25-23. With their backs against the wall, the infamous "Cardiac Stangs" emerged. They clawed their way out of a deep hole, saving multiple match points to steal a heart-stopping third set 27-25, a victory that ignited the team and completely shifted the match's momentum.
The fourth set was a masterclass in tension, featuring 13 ties and five lead changes. Just as Ball State seemed poised to finally close the door, Cal Poly ripped off a critical run to force a fifth set with a 26-24 win. Riding that feeling, the Mustangs exploded in the final frame, jumping to an 8-3 lead and never glancing back, sealing the reverse sweep 15-11.
Sophomore outside hitter Kendall Beshear was unstoppable at the net, pounding a career-high 20 kills and scooping 12 digs for her second double-double. Emma Fredrick was equally formidable, also setting a career-best with 19 kills while adding 13 digs and three blocks, notching another double-double of her own. Setter Emme Bullis was the steady hand guiding the explosive offense, dishing out 45 assists and landing two service aces.
True freshman Charlotte Kelly shone in her starting role, intimidating at the net with a match-high six total blocks. Chloe Leluge provided a huge offensive spark from the middle with 12 kills, while key contributions came from across the roster: Annabelle Thalken (10 kills), Ella Scott (10 digs, 5 assists), and Elif Hurriyet (11 digs, 5 assists) all made pivotal plays.
The final stat sheet revealed the tale of the match: efficiency. Cal Poly's offense hummed at a .314 clip while committing a mere 15 attacking errors. Ball State, despite powerful swings from Carson Tyler (20 kills) and Tiffany Snook (16 kills), was less consistent, hitting .234 and hampered by 32 attacking errors, a disparity that proved decisive in the match's critical moments.
Cal Poly now carries this wave of momentum into Fayetteville, Ark., for a formidable tournament slate next week against host Arkansas, Tulsa, and Oklahoma.
Team Stats
CPO
BSU
Kills
70
77
Errors
15
32
Attempts
175
192
Hitting %
.314
.234
Points
90.0
90.0
Assists
63
69
Aces
9
7
Blocks
11
6
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
19
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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