Splits are always a tough pill to swallow in sports. The resultsare mixed and so are the emotions. Like it or not, though, that'swhat the Ball State women's volleyball team (12-13, 6-6Mid-American Conference) had to deal with at home this weekendafter a 3-2 loss to Western Michigan (14-9, 7-5 MAC) on Saturdayfollowed by a 3-0 win against Akron (13-11, 8-4 MAC) on Sunday.
The defeat at the hands of the Broncos was especially hard totake considering the Cardinals went into intermission up two gamesto none. When the two teams came back on to the floor, the wheelscame off Ball State's wagon as WMU dominated the final three gamesfor the win.
"Not only was it classic volleyball, but it was classicrally-scoring volleyball, where you could visibly see the momentumbleed away," head coach Randy Litchfield said. "Our biggest problemas a team is when the momentum gets away from us."
Litchfield blamed the loss on a breakdown in the Cards' passinggame.
"When the passing goes away, you can't do any of that, and thisteam just gets tighter and tighter," Litchfield said.
Ball State was able to redeem itself somewhat on Sunday byrouting the Zips of Akron in three games. The difference betweenthe two matches according to freshman outside attacker KellyCochran was the team's mentality to improve on the past.
"We really had to prove ourselves," she said. "It has been aconstant struggle of coming out of those tough games, like we hadagainst Western Michigan."
The Cardinals almost let the match take a turn for the worse ingame three, though. With Ball State up 29-21, within a point ofvictory, Akron stormed back with five-straight points before aZips' error ended the match. That let down at the end of the matchsomewhat soured the victory for the Cards.
"I think the whole team's reaction at the end showed it,"sophomore outside attacker Sarah Obras said. "We could've been alot more excited, and we would have been if we would have put themaway at point 21."
Against Akron, Obras led Ball State for the second consecutivematch in both kills (16) and digs (18). She had 25 kills and 22digs against WMU.
Litchfield said Obras was able to perform at this level due tothe improved play of freshmen attackers Kirby Gibson andCochran.
"Kirby has almost invisibly gotten a little better, then alittle better, then a little better," he said. "She was terrificand I think Kelly has gotten better and better."
Obras, the team's leading scorer, appreciated the helpgreatly.
"It helps me out a lot because then I don't worry as much," shesaid.
With only two weekends left before the MAC Tournament, no teamin the West Division has managed to separate itself from the pack.Six of the seven teams have at least five wins, with no team havingmore than seven. This tight bunching of teams gives Litchfield hopethat the Cardinals could still surface as the division's bestteam.
"I don't know if it makes much sense to do any calculating yetbecause our division is nuts," he said. "In 15 years, I have notseen anything like this, so let's go play matches."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
