After ending its six-match losing streak to Bowling Green last season, the Ball State women's volleyball team came into Saturday's match up looking to make its own streak.
By the end of the night, the Cardinals got their wish.
With the 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-20) win, the Cardinals have won two straight against the Falcons and move their all-time record against them to 36-16-1.
The Cardinals extended its home win streak to 22 games, the five-longest active streak in the nation.
For the match, Ball State held Bowling Green to a .142 attack percentage, .116 lower than their season average of .258.
Coach Steve Shondell said one of the reasons for Ball State's defensive success was its serve.
"I give most of the credit to our serving game," he said. "Of course we're an excellent defensive team and we hit a lot of balls. But I felt like our serve was the key to our defense."
Sophomore libero Catie Fredrich also played a huge role in Ball State's defensive success. Throughout the match, she was diving for balls, pumping up her teammates and focusing on each and every ball hit in her area. As a result, she not only gave the team an energy boost, but a team-leading 16 dig performance.
Sophomore outside hitter Kylee Baker said she also brings relaxation to the floor.
"She's a great player and a great person," she said. "She brings a sense of calmness to the floor but at the same time, she brings so much energy. It's just hope alive that when I'm in the back court and I look and I think the ball's going down, it's not going down. Catie Fredrich has got it up."
In the beginning of the second set, Bowling Green began to fight its way back into the match. Down 16-11, Shondell called a timeout to get his girls refocused.
"I think we just needed to focus on slowly coming back one point at a time," he said. "You're not going to get all those points back in a hurry. You just got to get ready to play the next point and hopefully find a way to get back in the set."
After the timeout, Ball State not only found a way to get back in the set, but won the set as well. After tying the score at 22, Bowling Green had three attack errors to give Ball State the set at 25-23.
Bowling Green would cut the gap to 19-16 in the third set, but would get no closer. A kill by junior outside hitter Kara Bates and an error by the Falcons would end the set at 25-20 and the match at 3-0.
As for Ball State's upcoming match ups with Toledo and Buffalo, senior middle blocker Kelsey Brandl said it's going to be different because of having a travel game then a home game.
"It's going to be a test of how fast we can turn around," she said. "Usually we have til Thursday to practice. Now Thursday, we have to perform. But it's going to be fun."
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