Senior Hannah Sullivan isn't used to being a defensive specialist. She made her name as an outside hitter, but her presence as a defender has defined her Ball State legacy.
Ball State (18-4, 8-2 MAC) is in second place in the MAC West, a game behind Northern Illinois and tied with Western Michigan. Both teams happen to be the Cardinals' opponents this weekend.
With the biggest homestand in recent history looming, Ball State made quick work of Bowling Green on Saturday night.
The Ball State women's volleyball team avoided the trap against Bowling Green in what was another impressive offensive effort.
If the Mid-American Conference was worried about Ball State after last weekend's win over Ohio, the concern had to grow after Friday night.
Ohio had tormented Ball State for seven years. Junior setter Brittany McGinnis was haunted by the memory of the season-ending loss to Ohio in the quarterfinals of last year's Mid-American Conference Tournament.
One night after toppling Ohio, Ball State seemed like as easy pick to be the victim of an upset in a letdown match. But the opposite happened as Ball State rolled by Kent State in four sets Saturday.
Tonight's match with Ohio may be the biggest conference game in five years for Ball State, but it's the following match that has a particular importance to freshman outside hitter Kylee Baker.
Ball State snapped the seven year, 11-match losing streak with in its sixth five-set match of the season. The Cardinals topped the Bobcats 25-14, 22-25, 25-21, 15-9 in front of 1,131 fans.
Ball State's victory against Ohio on Friday night provided coach Steve Shondell with a signature win for the women's volleyball program.
Freshman outside hitter Kylee Baker got what she wanted. Baker wanted to beat Kent State, a school that recruited her for three years prior to her decision to play for Ball State. She also wanted to show she made the right decision.
Ball State looked to its freshman to step up to help defeat Ohio.
Ball State is 8-0 in home matches after defeating Kent State 3-1 Saturday.
An unsettling feeling washed over the Ball State women's volleyball team last November as it walked off the floor in Toledo.
Ball State lost to Buffalo on the road Sunday 28-26, 20-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-13. It was the first time the Bulls beat the Cardinals in 15 tries.
Ball State lost a heartbreaker Saturday evening at Buffalo. After forcing a fifth set for the fourth time in 2010, the women's volleyball team was upended by Buffalo 26-28, 25-20, 19-25, 25-19, 13-15.
If Ball State was given all it could handle Thursday night at Toledo, Buffalo could up the ante.
Ball State defeated Toledo 3-2 Thursday night.
Ball State didn't just post two wins in Mid-American Conference play this weekend, libero Allyssa Rio won MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week.
Ball State was just looking to defend its home floor during the weekend. Instead the Cardinals turned the weekend into a statement.
