WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ball State defeats Toledo for first MAC title since 2002
November 11, 2010Ball State defeated Toledo 25-18, 25-17, 25-19 to win the MAC championship outright.
Ball State defeated Toledo 25-18, 25-17, 25-19 to win the MAC championship outright.
Thursday's 25-18, 25-17, 25-19 win for Ball State (23-4, 13-2 MAC) was just another step in a longer journey.
Ball State clinched at least a share of the Mid-American Conference regular season championship for the first time since 2002 with Saturday's win at Central Michigan.
The Cardinals swept the next three sets to clinch at least a share of the regular season Mid-American Conference championship for the first time since 2002.
It just might be Ball State's year. Facing second-place Eastern Michigan on the road and making mistakes by the truck load, it appeared to be Eastern Michigan's night.
The assumption is this weekend is all about clinching the top seed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the Ball State women's volleyball team.
Ball State swept the Mid-American Conference West Division weekly awards after defeating Western Michigan and Northern Illinois to claim sole possession of first place of the MAC West.
For the first time this season the Ball State women's volleyball team swept the Mid-American Conference West Division weekly awards.
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.
