The dates change, but the story remains the same for the Ball State women's volleyball team: another game, another road trip, another loss.
At 0-4 so far this season, the Cardinals are hoping that this weekend's New Hampshire Tournament has a happier ending than their previous treks.
During the two-day event, Ball State will face teams from Fairfield University, the University of Connecticut and the University of New Hampshire.
After facing the likes of No. 1 USC and No. 8 Northern Iowa, head coach Randy Litchfield welcomes a chance to play some unranked opponents.
"It will be certainly a step down from what we've seen," he said. "We're ready for that. It will be nice to go into an environment where if we play good volleyball, we have a good chance of winning."
The fact that Ball State has never encountered any of the three schools it will face this weekend is also a positive in Litchfield's mind.
"Right now, we're very unfocused on our competition," he said. "It is time for us to put ourselves together. It is time for us to play a little better volleyball. Playing different teams should help us do that."
Cardinals have had to deal with a lack of depth due to injury this season. Sophomore outside attacker Stephanie Bacan is coming off a knee injury that kept her out of action last season, and junior middle attacker Melissa Oliver and sophomore middle attacker Kristin Westhof are nursing a shoulder and ankle injury respectively.
The last thing Ball State needs is for another player to be among the walking wounded.
With the amount of attacks sophomore outside attacker Sarah Obras has received recently, there has been concern that the Cardinals are riding last year's Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year a little too hard. But Litchfield is confident that the pressure is coming off Obras as the other Cards begin to take flight.
"Steph Bacan is feeling better and can handle more swings," Litchfield said. "Kristin Westhof is feeling better and can swing more."
The biggest thing this weekend for Litchfield and the Cardinals is to focus on what volleyball and all sports should be about:: having fun.
"I want to see if we can relax a little and let game come to us," he said. "I feel like we can do that this weekend."
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