Why hosting the MAC Tournament is so advantageous for Ball State women's volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. — It didn't seem like a big deal, not the way Ball State's women's volleyball team celebrated Wednesday night.
Ball State's 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-16) sweep over Toledo secured its second consecutive Mid-American Conference regular season championship — though, officially, it will serve as co-champions with Bowling Green, but Ball State holds the tiebreaker after beating the Falcons in the regular season — and gives the Cardinals (23-7, 15-3 MAC) homecourt advantage in next week's MAC Tournament.
The win was a big deal. Though an outsider wouldn't know better looking at the almost nonchalant way in which the Cardinals celebrated. There were cheers as junior outside hitter Cait Snyder put away the match-winning kill. The bench joined their teammates on the floor. The team sang the school fight-song in front of just under 1,000 standing fans and posed for pictures as a team on the court.
As Ball State celebrated the win, however, it seemed to do so with a shared understanding that this is the first of several goals the Cardinals want to celebrate this season. Everything this deep and veteran team wants to accomplish still lies ahead.
"I mean, it's awesome to win and I really try to emphasize the fact to these guys that it's not easy to win and certainly that's something we want to celebrate, we're excited about," Ball State head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "... I think certainly we're going to enjoy that, but we really have our sights set on getting an NCAA Tournament bid and winning the MAC Tournament championship."
In order for Ball State to get an NCAA Tournament bid, it's more than likely going to have to win the MAC Tournament in Muncie next week. It's RPI, which currently puts it at No. 62 in the country, isn't quite high enough for an at-large bid.
The good news is the Cardinals, who have won 15 of their last 16 matches, need just two wins to achieve another MAC Tournament title and, in turn, another automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
The even better news? Ball State gets to try to achieve it on its own floor.
"The crowds that we get, they are all backing us and we just feel good playing in here," Snyder said. "It's hard, I think, for teams to come in here and play because it's such a big arena but we know that feeling practicing in here every day."
In addition to no packing, no traveling and sleeping in their own beds, playing inside Worthen Arena has been historically difficult for visiting teams.
Ball State boasts a .765 winning percentage (306-94) all-time inside Worthen Arena. Against conference teams, that number jumps to .798 (225-57). In the past two seasons, Ball State is 25-1 at home and 20-0 against MAC opponents playing at home.
It's an almost unreal advantage for Ball State to be playing in Muncie. In addition, Ball State received a first round bye and will play in the first semifinal match against either No. 4 Central Michigan or No. 5 Toledo Monday afternoon. The Cardinals did lose a pair of matches against Central Michigan to open conference play but have been rolling ever since.
More:How Ball State women's volleyball embraced being 'the target,' got chance to win MAC again
When there were five matches remaining in the regular season, Miller Phillips said she believed Ball State still had room to improve. After the Toledo win, Snyder said "I think there's still another level for us to keep going up, to keep getting better."
There's not one point of emphasis Miller Phillips has for her team as they prepare for next week's MAC Tournament. Snyder believes the Cardinals will be just fine if they focus on their style of volleyball, one in which the Cardinals can attack their opponents with any number of offensive weapons.
Miller Phillips is excited, and hopeful, Ball State can draw even more fans inside Worthen Arena, where they won the MAC Championship last season, this year with the tournament being played early in the week. We'll see how many fans Ball State brings in as it tries to reach even loftier goals this season.
"Obviously we're really comfortable at home," Miller Phillips said. "I think we have a great homecourt with the fan environment. ... I do think that plays a huge role in just our confidence, our homecourt advantage and putting pressure on opponents.
"When it comes tournament time, you want any and every advantage you can possibly get."
2022 MAC Women's Volleyball Tournament Schedule
All matches will be played at Ball State's Worthen Arena and will be available on ESPN+.
Sunday, Nov. 20
No. 4 Central Michigan (19-10, 12-6 MAC) vs. No. 5 Toledo (18-11, 11-7 MAC), 4:30 p.m.
No. 3 Ohio (19-10, 13-5 MAC) vs. No. 6 Buffalo (18-12, 10-8 MAC), 7 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 21
No. 1 Ball State (23-7, 15-3 MAC) vs. Central Michigan/Toledo, 4:30 p.m.
No. 2 Bowling Green (20-9, 15-3 MAC) vs. Ohio/Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 22
MAC Championship, 4:30 p.m.
Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State clinches MAC regular season title, homecourt in tournament
