Volleyball Draws Fifth-Seeded Nebraska to Open NCAA Volleyball Championship Play
December 01, 2019 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- A week after capturing the program's seventh Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship title, the Ball State women's volleyball team learned it will be heading to fifth-seeded Nebraska for its opening match in the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.
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The Cardinals (20-11) and Huskers (25-4) will square off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 6 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln.
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"It's an awesome experience to be able to go to the NCAA Tournament and see your name up on the board," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "Getting to go to Nebraska, that's an unbelievable gym and volleyball environment. It's exciting and we are looking forward to it."
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Ball State enters its ninth NCAA Tournament on a nine-match winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 mark in last weekend's MAC Volleyball Championship. On the way to capturing the program's first MAC Tournament title since 2002, the Cardinals defeated fifth-seeded Ohio, top-seeded Miami and third-seeded Bowling Green.
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"If you're playing Nebraska at Nebraska, it's going to be a heck of a challenge no matter who you are," Phillips continued. "But what an opportunity for our team. How amazing is it to be able to go to one of the best volleyball environments in the nation and represent Ball State and the Mid-American Conference. It's going to be a really awesome opportunity for our team to show how good they are; for them to be able to go out and let it all fly and see what happens."Â
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Nebraska closed out the regular season with a pair of sweeps this past weekend, topping both Maryland and Ohio State. The Huskers tied for second in the Big Ten standings with a 17-3 league mark.
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Friday's contest will be the third meeting all-time between Ball State and Nebraska, with the last being a 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-20) Huskers victory in Nebraska on Sept. 11, 2004. Nebraska also won the first meeting between the two teams by a score of 3-0 (30-20, 30-19, 30-28) in Worthen Arena on Sept. 1, 2002.
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The winner of Friday's match will advance to the second round to face either Northern Iowa (24-10) or Missouri (21-7). Second round action is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 7.
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Ball State is 2-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, last appearing in the event in 2011. The Cardinals' tournament wins came at Illinois in 1994 and at home over Loyola Chicago in 1995.
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For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
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When you ?? your name called on the @NCAAVolleyball Selection Show!!!
— Ball State Volleyball ?? (@BallStateWVB) December 2, 2019
We are heading to Nebraska!#ChirpChirp #WeFly #NCAAVB #MACtion pic.twitter.com/mlejpwtR6J
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The Cardinals (20-11) and Huskers (25-4) will square off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 6 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln.
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"It's an awesome experience to be able to go to the NCAA Tournament and see your name up on the board," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "Getting to go to Nebraska, that's an unbelievable gym and volleyball environment. It's exciting and we are looking forward to it."
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Ball State enters its ninth NCAA Tournament on a nine-match winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 mark in last weekend's MAC Volleyball Championship. On the way to capturing the program's first MAC Tournament title since 2002, the Cardinals defeated fifth-seeded Ohio, top-seeded Miami and third-seeded Bowling Green.
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"If you're playing Nebraska at Nebraska, it's going to be a heck of a challenge no matter who you are," Phillips continued. "But what an opportunity for our team. How amazing is it to be able to go to one of the best volleyball environments in the nation and represent Ball State and the Mid-American Conference. It's going to be a really awesome opportunity for our team to show how good they are; for them to be able to go out and let it all fly and see what happens."Â
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Let the @NCAAVolleyball #WatchParty begin!!!#ChirpChirp #WeFly pic.twitter.com/TTFkM9kJgi
— Ball State Volleyball ?? (@BallStateWVB) December 2, 2019
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Nebraska closed out the regular season with a pair of sweeps this past weekend, topping both Maryland and Ohio State. The Huskers tied for second in the Big Ten standings with a 17-3 league mark.
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Friday's contest will be the third meeting all-time between Ball State and Nebraska, with the last being a 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-20) Huskers victory in Nebraska on Sept. 11, 2004. Nebraska also won the first meeting between the two teams by a score of 3-0 (30-20, 30-19, 30-28) in Worthen Arena on Sept. 1, 2002.
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Cardinals vs. Huskers on Friday, Dec. 6#ChirpChirp #WeFly #NCAAVB #MACtion pic.twitter.com/Z4XWtJadun
— Ball State Volleyball ?? (@BallStateWVB) December 2, 2019
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The winner of Friday's match will advance to the second round to face either Northern Iowa (24-10) or Missouri (21-7). Second round action is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 7.
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Ball State is 2-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, last appearing in the event in 2011. The Cardinals' tournament wins came at Illinois in 1994 and at home over Loyola Chicago in 1995.
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For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
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