As the 2011 season has progressed, the starting lineup for the Ball State women's volleyball team from match-to-match has become a guessing game.
Some days it'll be the talented sophomore Jacqui Seidel starting at setter over tested veteran Brittany McGinnis. Or perhaps Kara Bates and Lauren Grant open a match as starters one night while sophomores Kylee Baker and Whitney Heeres take the floor to start the next match.
It may be unorthodox, but it's an approach that has gotten the most of the Cardinals this season, as evidenced by their 18-3 overall record and 7-1 record in the MAC.
"It's basically just whoever is performing in practice that week, whoever [coach Steve Shondell] thinks the best combination of people out there is going to play," Seidel said. "That's just not for setting; that's for outsides, that's for middles, so it's basically whatever is working best for the team,"
This past weekend, Seidel was Ball State's starting setter in both of the team's matches. She distributed 78 assists to lead Ball State's offense to a collective .297 attack percentage in both wins over Ohio and Kent State.
But McGinnis, Ball State's starting setter for the past three seasons, still played in each game in both matches and contributed to the team's efforts.
McGinnis' entire season has not come without exceptional play of her own. She's totaled 667 assists in 21 matches played for a 8.66 assist-per-game average.
Both players reliability has created a lucky predicament for Shondell: having two starting-calibur setters on one team.
"Both our setters are proven winners," Shondell said. "I have confidence in both girls, and basically we're watching what happens in practice and going from there. Both girls had really good practices [Tuesday] night, so hopefully we'll continue to practice well this week and they'll provide the leadership for the team we need."
The team's depth at setter parallels its status at outside hitter. Shondell has said multiple times this season that he believes Baker, Bates and Heeres are all starters. The trick is deciding which two step onto the court first.
While the lack of continuity in the starting lineup has been slightly annoying for Bates, she said she recognizes that it benefits the team week-in and week-out.
"It's definitely frustrating, but it's a smart move," Bates said. "He keeps us on our toes. I don't walk in Monday practice and say ‘Alright, I'm looking forward to Friday.' All three of us have to work to make sure we'll be on that starting side. We have a lot of depth, and I think that's what going to make us go really far. We have that advantage over everyone else in the MAC."
With Ball State playing two home matches this week, taking on Miami at 7 p.m. Friday and Bowling Green at 7 p.m. Saturday, the status of the team's lineup is as up in the air as it has been for weeks.
And Ball State may still be improving because of it.
"We all want to win, so whoever is doing better is going to play," Seidel said. "Either way, we're both on the court, we're both out there helping each other. That's what worked this weekend, but it's a new week, so we don't know what's going to happen."
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