So far in 2012, Ball State (9-10) has faced a perfect storm of bad luck.
That starts with injuries that have set the team back.
Junior outside hitter Kylee Baker will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured disk, coach Steve Shondell said at practice Monday.
The loss is devastating to Ball State's depth after losing redshirt freshman outside hitter Marquita Marshall for the season with an ACL tear. Ball State didn't come into the season with much depth at outside hitter and losing both Baker and Marshall means it has only one true outside hitter on the roster in senior Kara Bates.
"You lose a lot of mental toughness and a lot of experience," Shondell said. "That's probably been the difference in the last two matches. You can never replace her experience.
"She also gets that pipe out of that back row. She gives you that back row attack which we really have not had."
The injuries have forced Shondell to move some players to different spots on the floor, mainly freshman setter Jenna Spadafora.
Spadafora has performed well considering her inexperience and switch to hitting, a position she is familiar with from high school. She's boosted her attack percentage to .239 in her short time as the front row replacement to Baker.
Redshirt freshmen Kelly Hopkins and Hayley Benson also played this weekend in the front row, with Hopkins spending some time on the outside.
The team faces Kent State at 7 p.m. Friday at home.
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