Coach Joel Walton has not yet released the Ball State University men's volleyball team's 2009 schedule, but his players and he already know two dates to mark on their calendars.
Less than four months after Ohio State University swept Ball State in the conference championship match, the Buckeyes announced their 2009 schedule last week and will play the Cardinals on March 11, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio, and March 27 at Worthen Arena.
"It's a long-standing rivalry we have," Walton said. "With the program Ohio State has, both teams are always in contention."
During the last two seasons, the Ball State and Ohio State regular-season matches were separated by more than a month. The two teams also played a week before the start of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament.
Both Ohio State coach Pete Hanson and Walton said they are not happy playing the two regular-season matches within two weeks of each other.
"It isn't the best schedule we've put together," Walton said. "The timing of the matches is less than ideal, and I have no one to blame but myself."
Walton said the process of putting a schedule together is complex because of the multiple schools involved. Hanson also said facility conflicts forced the teams to play the matches within two weeks.
Ohio State has won two consecutive MIVA regular-season championships, and the Buckeyes have eliminated the Cardinals in the MIVA Tournament both years. The two teams were also a combined 21-3 in the MIVA last season as Ball State finished in second place at 10-2.
Despite the March 11 match being the first time two teams will play each other since the MIVA championship in May, Hanson said he does not view it as a championship rematch.
"The way we are going to approach it is it's an important league match and it could give us the potential of leading the league," he said. "We don't try to sell it to our guys that we have scores to settle because we are new teams with new faces."
Ohio State is the first MIVA team to release its schedule for the upcoming season. Ball State has almost finalized its schedule and will probably release it next week, Walton said.
With both teams having a majority of their starters returning, Walton said he would not be surprised to play Ohio State in the MIVA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
"I wouldn't say for sure, but there is a strong likelihood we could play," he said.
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