Ball State (10-1 overall, 5-0 MIVA) will play two road games this weekend, including going up against the defending Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Ohio State (7-4, 3-1).
The Cardinals will play Findlay Friday night in a rematch of an earlier game this year.
No. 8 Ball State played Findlay in its first conference match of the season. It was a sweep for the Cards, winning 30-22, 30-22, 30-13. Friday's match will be the second meeting between the two at Findlay. Ball State has won both its home matches against Findlay.
Head coach Joel Walton, whose team has the only perfect record in the MIVA, says the match against Findlay will be important simply because it is a conference match. He has said before that every conference match would be important toward the team goal of earning a high seed for the MIVA tournament.
The second match for Ball State, at No. 13 Ohio State Saturday, is the more anticipated of the two and "definitely our primary focus," Walton said. It is the first match between the two since Ball State lost to Ohio State in last year's MIVA semifinals, as it has in four of the last five years.
The Cardinals boast an all-time 90-70 edge (with two ties). Ohio State, however, has won 10 of the last 11 matches. The two teams split last season's matches last season.
Walton, however, sees no reason for the trend to continue Saturday. He said the problems Ohio State poised for Ball State in recent history have since left the school.
"The six players (Ohio State) are putting on the floor this year aren't the same guys that have been beating up on us for the last couple years," said Walton.
According to Walton, the Cardinals are facing an Ohio State team that is "one of the taller teams we're going to play." He is confident, however, that his team will overcome the Buckeyes with the same play that has helped them to win 10 of its 11 matches this season.
"Our focus needs to be just to get out and play Ball State volleyball," he said. "(If we) play aggressively, tenacious defense we should be fine."
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