Ball State finished its nonconference schedule with a 6-1 win at Butler on Wednesday.
With the nonconference finished, Ball State can focus on its main goal: winning the Mid-American Conference championship.
"It was a good win," coach Bill Richards said. "To beat them 6-1 at their place was great coming off the Toledo match. Now the focus is on Western Michigan."
Ball State took five of the six singles matches and the doubles point.
Juniors Cliff Morrison, Zane Smith and Andres Monroy as well as sophomores Alexandre Brym and Austin Sansone came away with wins in singles action.
Sophomore Dalton Albertin was defeated at No. 1 singles for Butler's only point.
The match was rescheduled from last week because Butler's coaches did not want to play the same day its basketball team returned from the Final Four in Houston.
Fear of riots if Butler's basketball team had won the national championship made rescheduling the match a safe choice.
The win over Butler improves Ball State's record to 11-12, but it doesn't help in the chase for a MAC regular season title.
Ball State plays Western Michigan at Cardinal Creek at 1 p.m. Saturday. Western Michigan has won the past two meetings, including knocking Ball State out of the MAC Tournament in the semifinals a year ago.
The Broncos were picked to win the MAC in a preseason poll.
"To stay in contention for a conference championship, it's a must win," Richards said. "It will take a great effort."
The Cardinals are 1-1 in the MAC and are in third place with three matches to play.
Richards said there are no surprises that a coach can deploy at this stage of the season between two schools that know each other well.
"There are no secrets," he said. "There are no tricks. Just fighting hard and playing good tennis."
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