Ball State's win over Ohio State didn't fix any of its issues this season. The team made that clear in losing to Loyola 3-1 (17-25, 25-21, 23-25, 17-25) on the road Tuesday.
Now, only two days removed from the celebration with a road match against Loyola at 7 p.m. tonight, the Cardinals have to answer the next question they face: can they do it again?
In its final home match of the regular season, Ball State defeated No. 10 Ohio State in five sets (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-12) on Sunday.
In front of an announced crowd of 510 fans that seemed two times as large, Ball State upset No. 10 Ohio State in five sets (21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12) to snap an 11-match losing streak that dates back to 2008.
No. 10 Ohio State lies next on the schedule in Ball State's last home match of the season on Sunday, and neither history nor recent play sides well with the Cardinals. 11 straight losses to the Buckeyes and problems on offense in most matches this season reaffirms that.
For most Ball State teams, senior night is a time to recognize players who have been staples of the program for several years.
Choosing the best team in a conference is usually the easiest pick to make. The MIVA is no different.
After being swept twice to open its West Coast trip this weekend, Ball State managed to secure a 3-2 (21-25, 29-27, 25-23, 23-25, 15-12) win over Grand Canyon to avoid falling behind its Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association rivals.
The Ball State men's volleyball team out-hit, out-dug and out-blocked Grand Canyon on Friday. And it still wasn't enough.
Players have been able to rest and recuperate since their last match against Park on Feb. 25, knowing they wouldn't play for another 11 days until facing No. 12 Cal State Northridge (6-10) on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Seniors Suzanne Grossnickle, Amber Crago and Megan Craft walked to center-court on Senior Night in Worthen Arena to be recognized as Ball State players for the final time. But their moment was spoiled, as visiting Toledo defeated Ball State 70-65 on Tuesday night.
After recording 13 blocks and helping limit Mount Olive to a .078 attack percentage and Park to a .000 attack percentage in two matches last weekend, sophomore middle attacker Kevin Owens was named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Whether it was Julian Welsh-White, Elias Aparcedo or Matt Sutherland, opportunity struck for them this weekend.
Park played its first NCAA Division I opponent in four years in a match against Ball State on Saturday, and it certainly didn't forget that fact by the end of the night.
In two sets of play in Ball State's 3-0 (25-9, 25-23, 25-20) sweep over Mount Olive on Friday, Aparcedo soaked in the feeling to once again play college volleyball.
Check out a live chat with volleyball writer Andrew Misher.
With eight of Ball State's last 11 matches being played at home, it may be second nature for fans to a assume a volleyball match will be playing in Worthen Arena almost every Friday and Saturday night at this point.
Since the start of the season, sophomore middle blockers Kevin Owens and Matt Leske have had some pretty big shoes to fill.
