The "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" type of performances are becoming a bit too common for Ball State.
One day, it is clicking on every facet and the next, coach Steve Shondell is left scratching his head wondering what happened.
He didn't have anything to say to the team after Ball State lost to North Texas in three straight sets (14-25, 23-25, 20-25). There was just disappointment from his and the team's high expectations.
"I think if they're any kind of competitor at all, their performance today will be enough to get them ready to play tonight [Saturday]," Shondell said after the loss.
Senior outside hitter Kylee Baker said there were some things that were said, but it was the feeling everyone had that stuck in her mind.
"You could just feel the emotion of disappointment, and I think it was mutual between everybody," Baker said.
The Cardinals were the competitors that Shondell hoped for, sweeping IUPUI (25-19, 25-16, 25-21) in three sets - the first two easily. IUPUI had beaten North Texas on Friday in four sets.
"We were not nearly as mentally ready to go this morning as we were tonight," Shondell said after Saturday's win. "Tonight, we came out focused, ready to play and ready to compete. We were just like a different team tonight."
Shondell couldn't explain the inconsistencies his team is facing beyond a lack of mental preparation.
"It's all mental," he said. "We've won all the matches when we've been really focused and ready to go."
Ball State is now 4-3, a mark that is far off from the team's 7-0 mark after its first seven games last season. The adversity is something that had made Shondell a bit more animated on the bench. During the third set against IUPUI, he was following the play kicking his leg out trying to will the ball over the net for his side.
"With this young group, we're learning on the fly here," Shondell said. "I really want them to do well. We don't have all those veteran players that I can sit back and relax. When you're playing from behind, it does keep a coach a little bit on pins and needles."
Shondell said he just didn't want to see him team give up a set to IUPUI on its home court and was frustrated after Ball State dominated the first two sets.
Baker had her best game of the season, finishing with an attack percentage of .500 and scoring 13 kills in total. She added 12 digs to Ball State's 62 total digs, five more than IUPUI mustered.
Junior libero Catie Fredrich rebounded against IUPUI to post 21 digs after failing to reach double digits against North Texas.
Shondell said her struggles were similar to what everyone else on the squad was dealing with.
"She was a step slow, just like the rest of our team," he said.
Shondell said the morning matches have been an issue for the team, and it's something he understands. He just doesn't have a solution to play better in the morning for at least a couple more weeks.
"Not play two matches in one day," he said, with a smile. "That's one way."
For now, Ball State has two more tournaments where the team will have to play two matches in a day. He just doesn't want to see two different Ball State teams every time a tournament comes around.
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