The last time the Ball State women's volleyball team finished the year with a winning record was 2005, which was also the last time the Cardinals began the season 3-0.
The Cardinals completed the first part of that feat over the weekend.
Ball State opened the season by winning the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougar Classic, defeating The Citadel (25-15, 25-16, 25-17) and Indiana State (25-15, 25-22, 25-18) handily before holding off a challenge from the hosts SIUE 25-23, 25-20, 25-18.
Three matches down. Nine sets won. One fantastic start for first-year Ball State coach Steve Shondell.
"This was a tournament that we wanted to start establishing an identity and seeing if this is the team we've seen in practice," Shondell said. "We can't be content with this, and we won't be.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg."
Kelsey Brandl, Kylee Baker and Whitney Heeres proved to be too much offensive firepower. Brandl and Heeres ended the weekend with 33 kills each, while Baker finished with 34.
"It feels great to have success right away. I hope I can be that consistent the rest of the year," Baker said. "Being successful like that takes a load off all our shoulders right away and push to continue having success."
Ball handling, something Ball State emphasized this offseason, noticeably improved from last season. Fewer mistakes cleared the way for success.
"We knew the only way to challenge them was to knock them out of system. We did that a little, but not enough," SIUE coach Todd Gober said. "This is a good Ball State team. They take advantage of your mistakes and don't give you many chances."
The Cardinals also controlled the net. Brandl, Baker, Heeres, Mindy Marx and Charde' Phillips dominated SIUE at the net, holding an 11-2 advantage in blocks.
Marx, who was ruled eligible by the NCAA a couple of days before the team left for Edwardsville, Ill., posted five kills, one solo block and three block assists against the Cougars.
"You have no idea how freshmen are going to play in their first matches," Shondell said. "I'm not shocked by how well they played, but you're always concerned with the jitters.
"Mindy can certainly emerge as a key player. She's going to be a great player down the road."
With a good start to the season, pressure may build for the Cardinals when they are the hosts of the Active Ankle Challenge this weekend at Worthen Arena.
"We all feel a little pressure. Most of it is what we put on ourselves," Baker said. "We've got a new program and just won three games."
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