Ball State University's women's volleyball team will return to action today after a weekend off. This will be their last non-conference match for over a month. The Cardinals will travel to Fort Wayne, where coach Randy Litchfield attended high school, to play IPFW.
"The match has incredible importance," Litchfield said. "It's the match we have to win if we want to accomplish our goals."
Senior Sarah Obras, meanwhile, will start a weekend campaign to become the first person in Mid-American Conference history to hit over 1,700 kills and 1,400 digs in a career. She currently stands at 1,363 digs.
Obras is averaging 3.81 digs a contest this year. Hey 1701 kills rank her second on the chart, only 126 behind current leader Megan Hammons.
Obras has been battling injury this season, following a year-ending ACL injury near the end of the regular season last year. She said that the weekend off, which will result in six full days between contests, will help her and the team against the Mastadons.
"I feel really good after the break this weekend," she said. "As long as we can get refocused I think it will help everybody."
IPFW (9-1) is having one of their best seasons in school history. The Mastadons have defeated MAC schools Miami and Eastern Michigan, and their only loss is to then-No. 7 Florida.
"I think, in the past, when we've played them here it's been an easy win," she said.
"The last thing we want to go up there and think it's going to be a cakewalk, 'cause I know it's not. They're playing really well this year. It's at their place and they have a good crowd and they're hecklers.
"I think we need to really prepare ourselves mentally to go over there and be focused and start out quick and really set statement. 'Cause if we don't, they'll be all over us."
IPFW is led by senior middle attacker Fabiana Souza, who holds a career mark 1,931 kills. Litchfield said that their success may be due to new additions that have added depth for the Cardinals.
"I think they have a little more balance this year," Litchfield said.
Litchfield, who will be making start No. 501 against the Mastadons, attended Harding High School in Fort Wayne and coached for IPFW as an assistant men's volleyball coach before returning to Ball State.
Litchfield and Obras both cited blocking as a key to score the victory over the in-state rival."It's kind of a chicken and the egg thing," Litchfield said.
"I don't know if good blocking leads to good play. I haven't figured this team totally out yet, but I know when we block, we have a lot of rhythm. I just think on the road we're going to have to have that."
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