The Ball State University women's volleyball team will not have to travel far for most of their non-conference schedule this season.
The Cardinals' schedule, which was released last week by coach Dave Boos, has one non-conference out of state match, when the team will compete in the Towson Invitation at Towson University in Towson, Md., on Sept. 18 through 19.
The team will waste no time easing into competition play as it opens the season against Purdue University at the Mortar Board Premier Tournament in West Lafayette Aug. 28.
"We're excited about playing Purdue," middle attacker Jennifer Boyd said. "We played them during the spring season and hung well with them but lost each game by a few points each game. We're pretty excited about playing them again."
The Cardinals biggest non-conference challenge will be when the reigning Big East champion University of Louisville comes to Muncie for the Active Ankle Challenge from Sept. 4 to 5. Boyd said she is excited to be able to play against Louisville and their numerous international players. Last season, Louisville had five international players on their team.
The lone road trip for the team before beginning Mid-American Conference play will take them to Towson, Md. Ball State will face the University of Pennsylvania, George Washington University and Towson University in the two-day invitational. Boyd said the high level of competition in the non-conference schedule will only benefit the team.
"I believe in order for us to get better we need to play teams that are better," Boyd said. "It only makes you better."
After its road trip, the team will begin the MAC season with a weekend home stand against Northern Illinois University and reigning MAC champions Western Michigan University. The Cardinals will then alternate weekends at home and on the road for the remainder of the season.
The Cardinals lost one athlete from last year's team, which Boyd said is a definite advantage for the team.
"We've just gone through a season of playing together," Boyd said. "Last year we were a bunch of new girls playing together, so we didn't know each other very well. By the end of the season, though, we started to mesh together. The spring season helped us mesh even more, and that is only going to continue this season."
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