History has a way of repeating itself. The women's volleyball team is subject to that statement as they are winless on the road this season (0-7). The Ball State University Cardinals visited the Wright State University Raiders in an interstate match-up Tuesday night in C.J. McLin Gymnasium.
Stephanie Bacan's come-back debut was dulled as the Raiders infiltrated the Ball State defense, winning 3-0 (30-24, 30-28, 30-22). The match featured 16 ties and six lead changes but the Cardinals trailed most of the night. With the loss the Cardinals fell to 2-9 on the season and Wright State, who has won five of their last six, moves to 6-8 on the year.
Sophomore Christine Kennedy had eight kills on 14 attempts, three digs and four blocks. Senior Kelly Cochran had 10 kills on 42 attempts, three assists, and 10 digs. Freshman Ana Gabriela Pedrosa started the contest for the Cardinals and recorded two kills on two attempts for a perfect hitting percentage.
"Christine Kennedy played a good match," assistant coach Chad Weyenberg said. "She played very well. [Pedrosa] was up and down. She helped us in the back court and we definitely need her enthusiasm. She had a nice night."
Bacan was instilled in the line-up at the 2-3 mark in game one. She concluded the night with one kill and seven digs. Brittany May also had a good match for the Cardinals with seven kills, one ace, and two digs.
"Steph Bacan played pretty well," Weyenberg said. "We think Bacan will stabilize our back court position. I think she'll settle us down back there."
At intermission Ball State assistant coach Heidi Zickgraf described her opinion in a WCRD radio interview. "I just would like to find some people that have heart, and would like to play," Zickgraf said. "We're not seeing that a lot right now. Hopefully what we can instill in these guys is that we're 0-0 and we can get a new perspective for the Mid-American Conference season."
Near the end of game three head coach Randy Litchfield was given a red card (following two yellow cards) and had to leave the gymnasium. The events that preceded the ejection were unclear but a disagreement between the coach and the officiating crew led up to the incident.
"It was a series of events that all happened so fast," Weyenberg said. "I can't really elaborate."
For the Cardinals, this match marked the end of the regular season and the beginning of MAC play beginning Friday when Ball State travels to Miami.
"I feel we're not going to change things in practice at all," Weyenberg said. "We're just going to keep working hard, and starting Friday it's really a brand new season so that's how were going to approach it."
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