OXFORD, Ohio – – The Ball State women’s volleyball defense set the tone Tuesday night, collecting 78 digs and limiting Miami to a season-low 31 kills in a 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-16) sweep at Millett Hall.
 
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 9-8 overall and to 5-0 in Mid-American Conference play, setting up yet another battle of undefeated MAC teams in Worthen Arena when Toledo (14-3; 5-0 MAC) visits Friday night at 6 p.m. for Red Out Night.
 
Ball State’s 78 digs against the RedHawks (9-8; 3-2 MAC) were the second-best for the squad this season and the most in a three-setter since recording 88 versus Eastern Michigan on Nov. 2, 2013. The defensive effort was led by 18 digs from both sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter and freshman setter Reese Axness.
 
For Axness, the 18 digs were a career high, and combined with 15 assists, helped her achieve her first collegiate assist/dig double-double. Sophomore outside Carson Tyler also finished the match with a double-double, her 10th of the season, with 11 kills and 11 digs.
 
As impressive as the digs were, the Cardinals also won the battle at the net against a Miami squad which entered the night leading the league in blocking. Ball State tallied 9.0 total blocks, led by five from junior middle Gwen Crull. Crull also led squad with a career-high 13 kills and a .522 (13-1-23) attack percentage, while serving up a pair of aces.
 
Overall, the Ball State offense connected for a .225 (50-18-142) rate of success, with junior setter Lindsey Green adding a match-high 17 assists to Axness’ 15. The pair helped graduate outside Noelle VanOort and sophomore opposite Tiffany Snook each collecting eight. 
 
The MAC’s top hitter based on attack percentage, junior middle Camryn Wise added seven kills and hit .429 (7-1-14). Through five MAC matches, Wise has logged 33 kills to just three errors.
 
Also aiding in the solid backcourt effort were Green with nine digs and junior defensive specialist Elizabeth Tabeling with eight. Overall, 10 of the 12 Cardinals to reach the court Tuesday collected at least two digs.
 
Thanks to its solid defensive play, Ball State limited the Miami attack to a .090 (31-19-133) rate of success, its third-lowest mark of the season. Molly Creech led the RedHawks with six kills and 17 digs, while Gentry Warrick was able to tie for match-high honors with five total blocks.
 

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Proposed Hialeah homeowner rebate delayed until October

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A decision on whether Hialeah homeowners with a homestead exemption will receive a rebate has been postponed until Oct. 14, following debate at a city council meeting Tuesday.

Council debates rebate proposals

Council members discussed the proposal but did not reach an agreement, saying the money offered for a rebate was not enough and could hinder the city financially.

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Interim Mayor Jaqueline Garcia-Roves, who is running for mayor in November, has been pushing to provide money to residents to ease financial burdens. Last week she proposed a $120 rebate.

Council member Jesus Tundidor, who is also running for mayor, has put forward higher figures.

Garcia-Roves backs $200 rebate

“I am proposing 200 dollars, if the council wants to go lower than that we definitely cannot go higher,” Garcia-Roves said. “I am cutting some projects a little shorter. There’s a lighting project that we’re assigning a million dollars a year, we’re going to lower it to 750,000 so it’s just a little bit.”

Tundidor pushes for $300

“I will be proposing a $300 rebate to homestead properties in the city of Hialeah,” Tundidor said. “It’s frustrating to see when we were having a discussion on the mileage rate. And today she wants and I intend to make sure the residents get their money back.”

Cost to the city

If the $200 rebate proposed by Garcia-Roves had been approved, it would have cost the city about $6.2 million, with funds coming from reserves and some projects, officials said.

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Budget vote next week

The rebate proposal was not approved. Council members are scheduled to vote on the city’s budget next Thursday.

If they want to provide homeowners with a rebate, they will have to amend the budget.

The debate comes as Hialeah prepares for elections in November.

The Miami Dolphins have started the season 0-2 and will now have a short week to prepare for their AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, who are off to a 2-0 start and again look like the class of the division. While Buffalo opened the season in sync and ready to go, Miami has looked like they are sleepwalking through the early part of the season as they have struggled to find their rhythm.

The opening odds for Week 3 have been released, and the oddsmakers have not missed how much of a mess Miami has been in the early portion of the season. The Dolphins are not just underdogs for a primetime game on the road on a short week, but they are nearly two-touchdown (with the extra point) underdogs. The opening odds as of Sunday evening have the Bills favored by 12.5 points. The point total is 49.5. The Dolphins are +610 for the straight-up upset win; the Bills are -900 on the moneyline.

Will the line grow to reach the two-touchdown (and extra points) mark? Will money bring the line back toward the Dolphins? And, more importantly, will Miami find a way to upset the Bills and come away with their first win of the season?