Nov. 21, 1986.
That's the date of the last game that Ball State University women's volleyball program lost to the University of Toledo.
The Cardinals have won 41 straight matches against the Rockets since that day when the Rockets conquered 3-0 (15-13, 15-11, 15-11).
Ball State will look for win No. 43 in the streak tonight when they travel to Toledo.
Coach Dave Boos said he hopes the team's overall goal of winning an important Mid-American Conference match won't be overshadowed by the lofty winning streak the program has built.
"We haven't talked about it at all as a coaching staff because it doesn't really affect anything today," Boos said. "We're big into the processes of what we're doing everyday in the gym and every moment during a match - those are only the things that will distract you."
Boos did say that he knew the streak was in the minds of his players.
"I think that the players are very aware of it, especially the returning players who have made the younger players aware of the streak," he said.
Freshman middle blocker Jennifer Boyd said her team's winning steak is impressive, but simply wanting to win every match is a desire that shouldn't be taken for granted.
"I don't feel any pressure to win, but no matter whether we feel pressure or not, we still just want to beat them," Boyd said. "And that's really why it's a big deal to us to win."
The Cardinals (5-11, 1-1 MAC) are coming off their first conference win of the season against Eastern Michigan University on Saturday.
Boos said he expects to face a better Rockets team, which finished 4-24 (1-15 MAC) last season.
"I think Toledo is a very improved team," Boos said. "They have some strong outside hitting on both the left and the right sides and they run a pretty fast offense. I think Toledo's going to be a team that's going to cause some problems for us."
The Rockets (8-7, 0-2 MAC) are led by freshman setter Kassie Kadera.
Kadera, who had a MAC-best seven service aces Sept. 5, against Chicago State University, is second in the conference with 597 assists (10.85 assists-per-set).
"Toledo's speed to the outside hitters is a difficult thing for any team to defend, and I think [Kadera] does an outstanding job of setting that ball," Boos said.
Leading the defense for the Rockets is senior libero Lori Ruth, who leads the team with 186 digs and is second to Kadera with 18 aces.
Ball State freshman libero Christie Waters said she is hoping her team can build off the Eastern Michigan win going into tonight's match.
"I'm hoping to see that we continue to grow stronger as a team and to pull off another win in the MAC," Waters said. "I think we're definitely capable of doing it, and the better we get as we continue to play."
I think the stronger we'll get and the stronger that the other teams in the MAC will see that we are."
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