Ball State University’s women’s volleyball team will head to Washington D.C. for the first time in the history of the program to attend the Georgetown Invitational and will bring along three seniors for the first time in four matches.Seniors Stephanie Bacan, Rachel Refenes and Kristin Westhof were suspended for four matches for being in violation of Ball State’s textbook loan policy. They will travel and play this weekend for the first time since the Ball State Invitational.“We feel complete again,” coach Randy Litchfield said. “The last four matches have been so weird. It’s just a completely different morale.”The seniors had sat out the four previous matches, where the Cardinals (3-3) lost three matches, including the first loss in the program’s history against IUPUI.“We’re really excited to put everything behind us from the past week,” junior Heather Burlson said. “I don’t think it will be hard at all.”Bacan, a defensive specialist, and middle attackers Refenes and Westhof make up three of the eight starters for the Cardinals. In there absence, other players had to step up to starting roles.“Maybe what we found out is some of our players aren’t ready to be starters,” Litchfield said. “They’re very capable off the bench. Now we have our starts back, and our bench is back at full strength.”Following the loss to IUPUI, Litchfield held a “wake up” practice.“It wasn’t a lot of fun for our players,” Litchfield said. “It certainly wasn’t fun for me.”In the first game, the Cardinals will face runners up for the 2004 Northeast Conference runner-up Central Connecticut State at 5 p.m. today. On Saturday, they will face defending Ivy League champion Yale and host Georgetown.“It’s not full of volleyball powerhouses,” Litchfield said. “It’s about the overall level of quality and consistency. We like the way they look on tape.”After four matches of struggling and what Litchfield described as play without heart, the Cardinals say that seniors returning will help improve morale and preparedness.“We’re definitely excited to have everybody back and put everything behind us,” junior Kirby Gibson said. “We’re all excited to play again.”The Cardinals are ready to turn the tables, Litchfield said.“We want to get the momentum back that we lost last week,” he said. “I think the best way to do that is to come out of the weekend with three wins.”
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