INDIANAPOLIS - On Tuesday, the Ball State University women's volleyball team lost for the eighth consecutive match, a program record in its 35-year history.
Following a moment of silence to remember the victims of 9/11, the Cardinals initially looked like they might snap the losing streak jumping out to a 7-5 lead in game one. However, the Jaguars quickly rallied in 'The Jungle.' The Jaguars went on a 15-6 run to seize control of the game with a 20-13 lead.
The Cardinals eventually lost the first game 30-23 and followed it up with a 30-20 loss in game two, and a 30-21 loss in game three to drop their season record to 1-8.
"I definitely think that none of us thought this was the start we would have for our season, but I think we just have to go back to the drawing board," senior setter Angie Parrell said.
Once again it was poor attacking that plagued Ball State. The Cardinals had an attacking percentage in the negatives in all three games and a combined -.047 for the match. It was a season worst attacking percentage.
"If you look at the stats not a single person hit in the positives," coach Dave Boos said. "At some point in time you just got to try to something else. We tried everyone, gave everyone a shot and no one was able to crack the zero barrier."
Boos said the team works on attacking every day in practice because they know it is an area they need improvement.
In previous matches that the Cardinals struggled in attacking, Boos has blamed the team's ball control but not this match.
"I thought our ball control was the one thing that was fairly stable tonight," Boos said. "I think Alyssa Rio came in and played a pretty good match for us diving for that ball. Unfortunately it was just every single player we have had trouble killing the ball. Everyone got a shot at it and no one was able to succeed."
The Cardinals were out dug, out blocked, and out attacked, leaving Boos to believe his team has bottomed out.
"Its about as bad as we can play plain and simple," Boos said. "That better be the bottom."
Boos said the team better get the point they must have some changes coming soon. Ball State's next match is against the College Charleston Friday in the Iowa Invitational.
"I think what I will use from this match is that this better be a humongous wake up call," Boos said. "We better start going in a different direction."
While Parrell said the Cardinals have hit bottom, it just means the team only has one way to go and that is up.
"I think this is pretty much rock bottom, but the beauty of being at a low point is all you can do is improve," Parrell said. "Hopefully we can just improve from tomorrow on for the rest of the season."
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